Updated 1 year ago

New med guidance for child obesity

By Theunis Bates, Editor at LinkedIn News

Updated 1 year ago

Children and teens struggling with obesity should receive early and aggressive treatment, according to new guidelines published Monday from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Obesity affects 20% of young people in the U.S., and the AAP says the traditional practice of “watchful waiting” — delaying treatment to see if kids outgrow obesity — leads to continued weight gain and health problems. The AAP now recommends that doctors treat obesity like a chronic condition, saying for the first time that weight-loss medications can be offered to those ages 12 and up, and surgery to those 13 and above.

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