Obese children should take weight-loss drugs, pediatrics group recommends
Abigail Adcox
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The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that doctors prescribe weight-loss drugs for older children who are obese, saying that early intervention is needed to treat a condition that affects more than 14.4 million children in the U.S.
The pediatrics group advised Monday for the first time that children 12 and older who are obese should be offered medications for weight loss, along with lifestyle and health behavior treatments.
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“There is no evidence that ‘watchful waiting’ or delayed treatment is appropriate for children with obesity,” said Sandra Hassink, vice chairwoman of the clinical practice guideline subcommittee on obesity for the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Some of the recommended weight-loss drugs for children include orlistat and semaglutide, which are both approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat obesity. Semaglutide is designed to reduce excess body fat, such as abdominal fat, to help with weight loss.
The newly released guidance calls for more proactive treatment for children, noting that medications and weight loss surgery for those 13 and older could be effective and help reduce risks of serious long-term health concerns associated with obesity.
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The pediatrics group said that physicians should strive to make changes in patients’ lifestyles, behaviors, or environment in a way that is sustainable.
Obesity in children has been going up in recent years. Roughly one in five children and teenagers are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.