WHO: Lifestyle Changes Instead of Medication to Combat Childhood Obesity - Sarmad

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended adopting a healthy diet, engaging in physical activity, and receiving behavioral support instead of relying on common weight-loss medications, in its first global guidelines to address rising obesity rates among young children.

Data from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) indicate that obesity rates have surpassed underweight prevalence, becoming the most common form of malnutrition among school-aged children and young children worldwide.

The WHO stated that weight-loss medications may be considered for individuals aged 10 to 19 years who are obese, but only after supervised interventions have failed.

It further noted that bariatric surgery could be considered for physically and mentally mature adolescents with severe obesity who have not achieved successful results after six months of treatment.

For children under the age of 10, the WHO recommended a combined approach of healthy eating, physical activity, and behavioral support rather than weight-loss medications, surgery, or devices, due to uncertainties regarding their long-term safety and efficacy.

Luiz Maria de Regil, Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, stated that current evidence is insufficient to issue a definitive opinion on drugs and medications based on glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), but researchers are monitoring efficacy and safety trials and may revise this assessment as more data emerge.

The WHO emphasized that healthy diets and physical activity must be accessible and affordable, as treatment alone cannot halt the rise in obesity rates.

The organization reported that in 2024, approximately 400 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 were overweight, including 170 million who were obese. The prevalence of obesity in this age group has quadrupled since 1990.