The World Health Organization (WHO) has published its first guideline on obesity in children and adolescents. It says plainly that weight-loss drugs, bariatric surgery and weight-loss devices must not be used for children under 10; the first line must be diet, exercise and daily habits.
WHO figures show about 170 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 were obese in 2024: about 70 million aged 5 to 9 and about 100 million aged 10 to 19. The rate has risen fourfold, from 2 percent in 1990 to 8 percent in 2024. Childhood obesity can raise the later risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and it is a long-term condition that can return even after it is brought under control.
Dr Luz Maria De-Regil, director of nutrition and food safety at the WHO, said the basis of treating obesity in children and adolescents is not drugs or surgery but healthy eating and physical activity. The agency also stressed that every child should have quality care and a healthy environment from an early age.
Under the guideline, approved medicines may be considered for 10- to 19-year-olds depending on the case, but only after diet and lifestyle changes under the supervision of a doctor or nutritionist have failed to give the expected result. Where obesity is severe and has brought several other illnesses, bariatric surgery may be considered under set conditions.
The WHO says the goal is not weight loss alone but a child's overall health, ability to cope with daily life and physical and mental well-being. Anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and the effects of being mocked about one's body should therefore be considered together with obesity rather than separately. The report is from Kolkata's Sangbad Pratidin.
Source: Sangbad Pratidin
Comments
(0)