American Academy of Pediatrics Wants to Fight Childhood Obesity With Drugs and Surgery, Not Exercise

Children as young as 12 years old are recommended to have surgery and medication in order to combat obesity “early and aggressively,” According to Monday’s new guidelines, the American Academy of Pediatrics.

In the past, the practice of “watchful waiting” A test was performed to determine if a child would overcome obesity. “Waiting doesn’t work,” According to Dr. Ihuoma Eeleli, co-author of the first guidance on childhood obesity in 15 years from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Associated Press reports.

“What we see, is a continuation” weight gain Eneli said that obesity is a risk factor for many children. Eneli is the director of the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition at Nationwide Children’s Hospital located in Columbus, Ohio. According to the Columbus DispatchColumbus’ Childrens Hospital spent 3.3 billion on recent improvements to its complex.

The guidance provides specific advice on diets, exercises, and other lifestyle behaviors. It also identifies specific ages at the which treatments are possible.

Medications for kids as young as 12 and surgery for kids as young as 13 are now the recommendations in order to stave off the worsening obesity problem that affects more than 14.4 million young people in the US and is responsible for myriad health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes and depression.

The new guidelines are intended to improve the way that obesity It can be viewed so that it is not only seen but also understood. “a personal problem, maybe a failure of the person’s diligence,” Sandra Hassink, a co-author of this guidance, said the same.

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

These guidelines also consider that obesity is not simply a lifestyle problem.

Close to 20% of US children and teenagers are overweight, and approximately 42 percent of Americans are obese.

The new guidelines were approved at the same time that a new child obesity drug was approved.

The effectiveness of Wegovy, an injection given weekly to children aged 12 and over, was demonstrated in clinical trials. This drug reduces the average teenager’s BMI by approximately 16 percent. The drug alters the communication between the stomach and brain, which allows the user to feel fuller than usual.