We’re still shocked that Travis Barker‘s 18-year-old daughter Alabama Barker is taking weight loss drugs.
And the reasoning behind her decision, of feeling “tired of being fat and photographing like a damn ogre,” broke our hearts even more. No 18-year-old should ever feel like that! Nobody PERIODT should ever feel like that! Ugh.
But now, there are even more new concerns with this drug cocktail on top of the mental health worries we have for Alabama’s body image as a young woman in this cruel age of social media.
Related: Alabama Shares Rare Pic Of Baby Brother Rocky In Kourtney Kardashian’s Arms!
While the rest of Hollywood seems to all be taking drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy, experts are now counseling that somebody as young as Alabama may be playing with fire regarding the use of the medicine semaglutide, which helps with long-term weight management.
On Thursday, the US Sun spoke to nutritionist Rania Batayneh, and she sounded VERY skeptical about the benefits of weight loss drugs for teenagers. She began by noting that Alabama’s video reveal of her weight loss drug use appeared to be “extreme,” and then went on to add:
“This looked messy and extreme. Alabama is 18 and not clinically overweight, so would not typically have access to a weight loss drug prescription.”
The health expert then went on to note that the appetite suppressant effects of weight loss drugs could leave Alabama eating too few calories, “which is not a normal, healthy, or enjoyable life for any teenager.” Batayneh continued:
“Weight loss medications could set teenagers up for failure long-term. This is in terms of weight maintenance, long-term health, and mental health issues. Drugs like Ozempic must not become the quick fix in this age group. Alabama and other teenagers who consider using these medications must learn how to take care of themselves properly.”
One of the biggest issues, according to the One One One Diet author, is the risk of metabolic disruption. The worry that these drugs could mess up a teenager’s metabolism for life — in addition to the psychological toll of treating food in such a manner — could be very bad:
“This is about metabolic disruption in that young age group. This will impact natural metabolic processes and appetite regulation simply because teenagers burn more naturally. When you add an appetite suppressant and restrict caloric intake, the metabolism will take a hit because of the young age. There are also psychological impacts when a teenager is not eating healthily. They could develop a bad relationship with food and have adverse effects when they decide to eat.”
Wow.
Like we said up top, it sure seems like tons of celebs have turned to these drugs — and some of them with very concerning side effects of their own. But for teens? It’s going too far. Batayneh said:
“We cannot imagine what will happen to teenagers who resort to these drugs. What will we say when they become so thin from using them?”
And she wisely concluded:
“The solution is not a weight loss injection, and this must not be the next logical step. If it is not for obesity or Type 2 diabetes, these may be visual beauty and cosmetic-inspired decisions versus health-informed decisions. Teenagers need not to be focusing on the numbers on the scales or how they look. This mindset is not conducive to a healthy teenage lifestyle.”
No kidding. Say it louder for the people in the back… PLEASE!!!