Nearly 20% of Americans ages 2-19 are considered obese. Obesity puts kids at higher risk for developing conditions like high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and asthma. That’s why the American Academy of Pediatrics updated its treatment guidelines to recommend earlier and more aggressive interventions for kids who are severely overweight. But the updates have prompted serious debate about its intensity and whether these children and their families are ready for the life-long commitments that come with the treatments.
Can surgery and medication help kids who are severely overweight?
Obesity puts kids at higher risk for developing conditions like high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and asthma. Photo by Shutterstock.
Credits
Guest:
- Dr. Dennis Styne - Yocha Dehe Endowed Chair of Pediatric Endocrinology and professor of pediatrics at UC Davis