The new guidelines recommend intensive behavioral and lifestyle treatment for children with obesity. They say that you should involve at least 26 hours of in-person treatment, including not just the child but also the family. But by the time you're 12, they say you should be offered a prescription drug to help you lose weight. There are some new ones that are extremely effective for most people.
Recent advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended a bold approach to treating the millions of children in the United States who are affected by obesity. Counseling, drug treatment and even surgery should be considered, the group says.
The guidelines are a response to a deeper understanding of what obesity is — and what to do about it.
Guest: Gina Kolata, a medical reporter for The New York Times.
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