A big number of children carries excess weight. Obesity in children is defined according to the child’s body mass index BMI more than the 95th percentile. Obesity is considered a complex disease attributed to genetic background, environmental factors and stresses all interacting and leading to weight excess.
Obesity in children carries emotional and physical toll and if not treated it sets the child for future health diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular complications, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels.
Behavioral and life style treatment is very essential in reducing weight and maintaining healthy weight. Nevertheless, weight reducing medications under health care supervision and surgeries are proven effective in teens and adolescents with severe obesity or complications related to obesity.