The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released new guidelines for treating childhood obesity. Dr. Nikhil Dhurandhar, an expert in obesity medicine, was interviewed by The World, a Public Radio station. The interview was about what’s different about these new guidelines and how they might help children struggling with obesity.
New guidelines to treat childhood obesity were released this month by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
New guidelines to treat childhood obesity were released this month by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The new guidelines, which are for children and adolescents, recommend that doctors treat obesity like a medical condition with the latest evidence-based treatments.
The guidelines were created by a committee of pediatric family physicians, endocrinologists, dietitians, and researchers. They reviewed the scientific studies on treatment and created the guidelines based on those studies.
Dr. Nikhil Dhurandhar was interviewed by The World, a Public Radio station, for an international perspective on the guidelines.
Dr. Dhurandhar was interviewed by The World, a Public Radio station, for an international perspective on the guidelines. Dr. Dhurandhar is Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Obesity and Chair of Nutritional Sciences at Texas Tech University. He is also the author of Dr. Dhurandhar’s Fat Loss Diet, which is on Times of India’s “Most Dependable Weight Loss Books” list.
What is different about these guidelines?
When asked this question, Dr. Dhurandhar said, “The word ‘should’ has made all the difference for me, from my perspective. It is no longer ‘you may consider it, or ‘you may do this,’ which would allow or make some people look the other way and just wait and see what happens.” The new guidelines, which were published in the journal Pediatrics, are different than previous ones because they no longer advocate a passive wait-and-see approach. The new guidelines focus on a more proactive approach to treating obesity early and more aggressively.
This proactive approach based on the concerning trend that childhood obesity tends to persist into adulthood, and cause significant health issues much earlier in life for those who have it. Hopefully, by treating obesity sooner, children can live a healthier life overall as they grow up.
“So these new guidelines focus on what has worked, and in terms of what they should offer, the whole thing ranges from motivational interviewing, to behavioral therapy, even including drugs if indicated, and in some cases surgery,” said Dr. Dhurandhar.
He also offered some international perspective, and said that these guidelines are really leading the way across the globe. There are no other countries with such progressive, evidence-based guidelines. Dr. Dhurandhar commented that he hoped other countries will follow suit, as culturally appropriate, and with the geographical context in mind.
For the full commentary from Dr. Dhurandhar, check out the full interview.
You can listen to the entire interview here : https://theworld.org/media/2023-01-31/putting-new-guidelines-treating-obesity-global-context
Conclusion
The key takeaway from this new set of guidelines is that childhood obesity is a complex condition, and it requires a multi-faceted approach to treatment. The best way to address it is by working with a doctor trained in the newest methods for childhood obesity treatment, who can help you develop an individualized plan based on your child’s needs.
