Early intervention for children with obesity is necessary according to medical professionals

The American Academy of Pediatrics updated its guidelines on how to evaluate and treat children for obesity.

This is the first time this has been done in nearly 15 years.

Medical professionals from Desert Regional Medical Center (DRMC) are applauding the change as a step forward in breaking the cycle of obesity in adulthood.

Nurse Practioner Rachel Millard said, “We still have a tendency to blame the patient as a society when it comes to weight. It's not just a simple eat less and exercise more. We’re finding out more and more about the biological components of weight loss and weight gain."

According to Shape Riverside County, a community health committee that asses the health needs of the county, 33.4% of Riverside County adults are obese.

The updated guidance would help change those numbers in the future. The guidelines are giving pediatric healthcare providers more on how to now diagnose, evaluate, and treat obesity in children as young as two years old. This can now be done using therapy, medications, and weight loss surgery.

“The big news is that we're being more aggressive with approaching bariatric surgery as a recommendation and also medication interventions, which is a first," explained Millard.

Dr. Gemma Kim from DRMC said not treating children at an early age can lead to an entire lifetime of medical issues that include diabetes, heart disease, and even neuropathology. She agrees that being able to identify obesity and provide early intervention is important.

While medicating, or having surgery for children can be a scary idea, medical professionals are urging families to speak with their children's providers to learn more.