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Obesity in Adolescents: A Review
Aaron S Kelly1, Sarah C Armstrong2,3, Marc P Michalsky4
1Department of Pediatrics and Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis.
JAMA
|August 5, 2024
Summary
Adolescent obesity affects 21% of US youth and is linked to serious health issues. Treatment options like lifestyle changes, medication, and surgery offer varying degrees of body mass index (BMI) reduction.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Adolescent Health
- Obesity Medicine
Background:
- Obesity affects 21% of US adolescents, increasing risks for insulin resistance, hypertension, and future cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
- Adolescent obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile for age and sex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current treatment modalities for adolescent obesity.
- To compare the efficacy and outcomes of lifestyle modification, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on adolescent obesity treatment.
- Analysis of data regarding BMI reduction percentages and adverse events for different interventions.
Main Results:
- Lifestyle modification therapy alone yields approximately 3% BMI reduction.
- Pharmacotherapy combined with lifestyle modification achieves 5%–17% BMI reduction.
- Metabolic and bariatric surgery provides the most significant BMI reduction (approx. 30%) for severe adolescent obesity.
Conclusions:
- Treatment for adolescent obesity is multi-faceted, including lifestyle changes, medications, and surgery.
- Pharmacotherapy and surgery offer greater BMI reduction than lifestyle modification alone.
- Long-term durability of obesity treatments in adolescents requires further investigation.
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