New Obesity Guidelines for Children and Adolescents

For the first time in fifteen years, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new treatment guidelines for children and adolescents with obesity. The Guidelines recognize that this chronic disease is complex, and that in addition to our environment and lifestyle behaviors, our genes and biology play a large role in why children and adults have obesity. Obesity treatment is effective and should begin early in the course of the illness—watchful waiting usually doesn’t work.

More than 14.4 million U.S. children and teens are overweight or have obesity. To evaluate and treat obesity successfully, primary care physicians must first consider different factors that can affect a patient and their family; these factors include things like genetics or family history, social or environmental impacts, and biological risks. Due to inequities that promote obesity in childhood—like economic and social conditions—every patient needs care that is unique to them; there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach.

In addition to identifying factors that may influence a patient’s risk for obesity, the new guidelines recommend that clinicians use the following strategies to treat their patients:

• Motivational interviewing or counseling
• Intensive health behavior and lifestyle treatment
• Medication and weight loss surgery (this can be considered at certain ages, depending on the severity of the obesity)

Primary care providers should guide their patient and family every step of the way, using shared decision making to navigate treatment options that improve their child’s physical and mental health. The foundation of treating obesity is helping the family change their lifestyle and build new habits like diet and exercise. When families can work as a team, there is more evidence that treatment plans will be successful.

The new recommendations take a comprehensive approach towards treating childhood obesity, and this requires ongoing evaluation and the usage of community resources. We know obesity cannot be treated only in the four walls of a clinic; we need policies, infrastructure and systems in our society that improve access to treatment for all children and make it easier to adopt and sustain healthy lifestyle behaviors. It takes a village to care for all children.

If your child is struggling with weight-related concerns or obesity, contact the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition at Nationwide Children’s Hospital for a comprehensive approach to weight management. For concern about eating disorders, contact the Eating Disorders Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.