Overview of the expert committee's recommendations for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of child and adolescent obesity

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

To revise the 1998 recommendations on childhood obesity, an expert committee comprised of representatives from 15 professional organizations appointed experienced scientists and clinicians to be members of three writing groups to review the literature and recommend approaches to the prevention, assessment, and treatment of childhood obesity and overweight. Providers, including pediatric cardiologists, can now provide obesity prevention messages for most children and suggest weight-control interventions for those with excess weight. Body mass index (BMI) should be calculated and plotted at least annually, and the classification should be integrated with other information such as growth pattern, familial obesity, and medical risk to assess a child's obesity risk. For prevention, the recommendations include both specific eating and physical activity behaviors which are likely to promote the maintenance of a healthy weight. For assessment, the recommendations include methods to screen for current medical conditions and future risks, and methods to assess diet and physical activity behaviors. For treatment, the recommendations propose four stages of obesity care. These recommendations recognize the importance of social and environmental change to reduce the obesity epidemic, and also identify ways healthcare providers and healthcare systems can be part of broader efforts.