New Pediatric Guidelines Highlight Medication, Potential Surgery, For Childhood Obesity

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Published New guidelines were released Monday that highlight the fact that medication and surgery can sometimes be used to treat childhood obesity.

An executive Summary of the guidance noted that pediatricians and other primary health care providers should offer children 12 years old and up — who are obese — medication for weight loss. They should also refer teenagers 13 years old and over who have severe obesity to them. “for metabolic and bariatric surgery.”

These guidelines represent the first complete outline that will be presented by the AAP In 15 years. 

“Weight is a sensitive topic for most of us, and children and teens are especially aware of the harsh and unfair stigma that comes with being affected by it,” Sarah Hampl MD was the guide’s lead author. 

A statement from the AAP on obesity prevention has not yet been released. This is because it is not covered in the new guidance. 

“There is no evidence that ‘watchful waiting’ or delayed treatment is appropriate for children with obesity,” Sandra Hassink MD, author of the guidance also stated. “The goal is to help patients make changes in lifestyle, behaviors or environment in a way that is sustainable and involves families in decision-making at every step of the way.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) estimates that 19.7% of children aged between 2017 and 2020 will be affected by the disease. Between Between the ages 2 and 19, approximately 14.7 million children and teens were obese. 

Children in the United States continue to feel the impact of the coronavirus epidemic and the forced closures of schools that it accompanied. It had a detrimental effect on childhood obesity. The CDC Study Starting in 2021 Shown That the body mass index rate has increased “approximately doubled during the pandemic” The spikes in mortality were significantly higher than those experienced during the previous pandemic. The largest spikes occurred for those who were obese or overweight before the pandemic. 

“We now have evidence that obesity therapy is effective. There is treatment, and now is the time to recognize that obesity is a chronic disease and should be addressed as we address other chronic diseases,” Hassink Not noted. 

“Obesity is not a lifestyle problem. It is not a lifestyle disease,” Aaron Kelly, co-director at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine, Not noted. “It predominately emerges from biological factors.”

“This is not different than you have asthma and now we have an inhaler for you,” Hassink noted.