Tackling Pediatric Obesity with Expert Insights - Obesity Pillars

Whitney Herring, Carina Kugelmas*, Evan P. Nadler, Marsha Novick, Melissa Santos, Rachana Shah, Gitanjali Srivastava, Stephanie Walsh

*COS Board member

Managing obesity in children and adolescents requires a compassionate, multidisciplinary approach, as highlighted by nine pediatric obesity specialists in a recent advisory board discussion. They emphasized the importance of treating obesity as a chronic disease influenced by genetic, socioeconomic, and psychological factors. Effective care involves early diagnosis, family-centered interventions, and collaboration among healthcare providers, policymakers, and insurers to address barriers like stigma and limited access to treatments such as anti-obesity medications and bariatric surgery. The experts supported the 2023 American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines advocating for early intervention but stressed the need for improved messaging to reduce stigma. By combining medical care with community-wide initiatives and empowering families, clinicians can help young patients build lifelong habits for healthier living.

Full article: Clinical considerations in the management of obesity in children and adolescents - ScienceDirect