Children With Obesity

Abstract

One-sixth of US children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years are obese, and about the same proportion are overweight. 1 Compared with their normal-weight peers, children with obesity are at higher risk for developing health conditions, such as asthma, orthopedic problems, and depression, as well as adult obesity, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease. 2 Children and adolescents with obesity are also at higher risk for adverse psychosocial consequences, including teasing, bullying, and depression, 3 as well as a lower socioeconomic position in adulthood. 4 A responsibility of society, including medical care, is to reduce these excess burdens by treating children with obesity equitably as well as effectively. Here, treating means not only therapy for excess weight but also how we address other attributes that accompany obesity. Sometimes it is better to single out children with obesity for special treatment and sometimes it means treating them the same way as all children. In many circumstances, the answer is somewhere in between.

Acanthosis nigricans in obese adolescents: prevalence, impact, and management challenges

“…On the one hand, it could lead to reduced discrimination, possible insurance coverage in some countries, and increased funding for medical research 59. On the other hand, the “medicalization” of obesity may result in a loss of the concept of personal control and a reliance on medication and surgery 62,64…”

“…Although we strive to promote personalized therapies, we must avoid making them feel different from their peers. A delicate balance between these two perspectives is important for treatment success 64. Adolescents are keen to develop their own ideas and identity.…”