Researchers at the time were baffled by why changing so many factors associated with healthy living and weight loss didn't make a difference. Some people said it's the neighborhood, poverty or lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables. After genes started to be found, our understanding of obesity really began to change. You don't have absolute control over what you weigh, even if you want to have that kind of control.
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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