Obesity is a complex disease and a national health emergency. For National Nutrition Month, we wanted to take a closer look at how our youngest patients are being treated for this condition, particularly since current guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics are driving fierce debate among pediatricians.
We found two esteemed (and impassioned) pediatricians – Dr. Julia Nordgren and Dr. Janna Gewirtz O’Brien – who share common ground in having children’s and adolescent’s health and well-being as a top priority. However, Dr. Nordgren says the 2023 guidelines are “good medicine” and Dr. Gewirtz O’Brien says they are “too extreme.”
The Guidelines By the Numbers:
1 in 5 children and teens are affected by obesity in the U.S.
At age 12, the guidelines say that patients should be offered weight loss medications.
Those 13 or older, with severe obesity should be evaluated for bariatric surgery, alongside the lifestyle and behavioral interventions suggested by the guidelines.
67,000 pediatricians are members of the American Academy of Pediatrics — many of whom will keep these guidelines in mind as they treat their patients.
So, do the guidelines help the medical community chart a clear path forward for treating obesity in children, particularly when considering the long-term health impacts of the disease including higher risk for diabetes, heart disease, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression? Or are the guidelines too aggressive, risking unintended health consequences including eating disorders and lowered self-esteem?
Listen to this debate now on Apple Podcasts and YouTube and decide for yourself, and as always, let us know what you think.
