A pediatrician involved in creating new treatment guidelines for obese children in Canada says an 'alarming' rise in obesity has led to a greater need for surgery for teens whose mental and physical suffering typically worsens into adulthood.
A pediatrician involved in creating new treatment guidelines for obese children in Canada says an "alarming" rise in obesity has led to greater need for surgery as an intervention. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Patrick Sison
"We don't have a lot of data on what are the best interventions to improve some of the mental-health issues and quality of life," she said, adding a review of studies over the last decade suggests evaluations of anxiety and depression, for example, are lacking even though those issues are addressed in various intervention programs.
"It's quite alarming that we're seeing these very important increases in pediatric obesity," she said, adding that while genetic factors are a strong component, reduced physical activity at school and more sedentary lifestyles at home account for part of the problem. To address these issues, behaviour change is required -- and that's the caseeven for kids who are prescribed medication or get surgery, which requires committing to a healthy diet.
Another medication, Metformin, is mainly used for management of Type 2 diabetes in adults and is prescribed off label. However, a lack of data means it's difficult for doctors to know who would respond well to it. Dr. Julius Erdstein, director of the adolescent medicine division at Montreal Children's Hospital, said bariatric surgery, starting at age 15, is a "no-brainer" for teens enrolled at the Centre of Excellence in Adolescent Severe Obesity and struggling with issues such as failing kidneys, injections for diabetes and sleep apnea.
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