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The prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents is increasing at an alarming rate. According to the most recent data, 16% of American children ages 6 to 19 years are overweight (defined as body mass index [BMI]≥ 95th percentile), and 31% are considered to be at risk for overweight (defined as BMI≥ 85th percentile)[1]. Equally alarming, the incidence of weight-related comorbidities, such as type 2 diabetes, has also increased in youth [2, 3]. Investigators fear that the progression of such diseases may be hastened by their early age of onset [4]. Furthermore, up to 80% of obese adolescents will become obese adults [5, 6], thus placing them at risk for developing obesity-related comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, cancer, sleep disorders, and gallbladder disease [7, 8]. In addition to its adverse effects on physical health, obesity in youth frequently has a negative psychosocial effect. One study reported that women who had been obese as adolescents were poorer, less educated, and less likely to be married than were women who had been normal weight as teenagers [9]. Quality of life in obese teens and children has been found to be comparable to that of children with cancer [10]. These disturbing statistics leave little doubt that effective treatments for adolescent obesity are now needed more than ever. Even with the best behavioral treatments, however, only about half of children maintain their weight losses long-term [11, 12]. These findings have led to continuing interest in pharmacologic treatment of adolescent obesity. As with the management of adult obesity, pharmacotherapy for the treatment of adolescent …