“We need to choose aggressive treatment rather than active monitoring and treatment.”
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For obese children over the age of 6, it has been recommended by related companies that families should discuss with a pediatrician and actively treat them to make changes in their behavior and lifestyle, rather than waiting and watching.
For childhood obesity, it is necessary to treat it aggressively, for example by administering anti-obesity drugs or even considering surgery in severe cases.
According to a 2010 HealthDay News report, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has announced new guidelines for the treatment of obesity in children, stating that aggressive treatment methods should be adopted rather than just watchful waiting or delaying the treatment. .
The guidelines suggest that obese children over the age of 6 and, if necessary, obese children aged 2 to 5 should not wait and see, but rather consult with their pediatrician about how families can make changes in behavior and their child’s lifestyle. be treated aggressively.
Specifically, the AAP has recommended that pediatricians prescribe newer anti-obesity drugs such as Oristat, Saxenda, Qsymia, Wegovi and Phentermine (16 and older) for obese boys over the age of 12.
Dr. Joan Hahn, chief of pediatric endocrinology at Mount Sinai Children’s Hospital in New York, said it has become clear in recent years that hormones that play different roles in obesity are produced in the digestive tract. developed.
However, he said, these drugs are expensive and some are not covered by medical insurance, notably Wegobi, which is approved for obese adolescents over the age of 12 and costs $15,000 (about 1.86 million won) a month.
Additionally, the guideline recommends that adolescents 13 years of age and older with severe obesity receive “bariatric surgery,” a treatment for extreme obesity that has maximum effect.
This operation is performed laparoscopically without an abdominal incision and is known as a way to quickly recover from health problems caused by obesity, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
These guidelines were published in the latest issue of the AAP Pediatrics journal.
Lee Seung-gu Online reporter lee_owl@segye.com
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