Nowadays, childhood obesity is increasing at alarming rates. The children who suffer from obesity will typically experience serious medical conditions as an adult such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea. According to recent research, roughly 80% of children suffering from obesity will continue having it throughout adulthood. Obesity from a young age can impact a child’s health in many ways. Obese children are prone to a large variety of health problems which most of us dont experience until our middle age. Additionally, child obesity comes with further concerning issues like bullying. Children suffering from obesity often experience bullying in school, social situations, and even by their own family members. As an effort is being made to limit these types of issues, the obesity action coalition (OAC) is a non profit organization providing a good amount of resources on weight bullying.

What are the measures taken to treat childhood obesity?

Parents often wonder about their child’s obesity, but don’t know what steps to take for treatment. In general, the treatment for child obesity is the same as treating adult obesity. Oftentimes however, children may try to avoid discussion with parents about their obesity due to embarrassment. In this case, it is very critical for the parents to keep communicating with their child during the course of treatment. Childhood obesity can be treated in various ways, ranging from simple modification in lifestyle, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery). Bariatric surgery is seen as the most aggressive and effective way to treat obesity.

Why to opt for bariatric surgery?

Before choosing the right treatment, an assessment of the child’s food intake, physical activity level, blood work and more will be evaluated. After gathering all the information, treatment options will then be discussed. Bariatric surgery, which is mostly performed on adults, addresses severe obesity. For children who may need a more vigorous approach to obesity treatment, bariatric surgery seems right. This surgery produces long lasting weight loss and improvement in medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea. Presently, the most common bariatric surgeries for children with obesity are Roux-en-y-gastric bypass (RYGB), Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), and vertical sleeve gastrectomy.

The main aim of bariatric surgery is to provide the most benefits with the lowest risk. With this aim in mind, lots of research has been done to evaluate the effects of bariatric surgery on younger populations.

For those seeking more information, Dr. Sunil Sharma is a surgeon specialised in treating obese patients in Jacksonville, Florida

For appointment and consultation feel free to call us at 904-399-4004