Obesity prevalence among children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 has quadrupled since 1990. (Photo: iStock) To address the sharp rise in obesity among children and adolescents, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released its first guidelines on the issue. They set out how health systems and health workers can deliver timely, evidence-based and people-centred care. According to a news release from WHO, 170 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 were living with obesity in 2024. This included 70 million children aged 5 to 9 and 100 million adolescents aged 10 to 19. Prevalence in this age group has quadrupled since 1990, rising from 2 per cent to 8 per cent. The effects of obesity can begin early in life. It is a chronic disease that often relapses, but it can be managed with effective care. In children, it raises the risk of noncommunicable diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, so preventing it is important for both mental and physical health. For children and adolescents with obesity, WHO strongly recommends structured interventions on diet, physical activity and behaviour change, delivered individually or as part of a multimodal programme. Digital health interventions are conditionally recommended, with supervision from a parent or caregiver. Dr Luz María De Regil, Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO, said the foundation of obesity care for young people is not medicine or surgery, but access to comprehensive support for healthy eating, physical activity and lasting behaviour change. "Our priority must be to ensure that every child and adolescent can access quality care and supportive environments from an early age," she said. This, she added, helps them reach and maintain a healthy weight and lays the foundation for lifelong health and well-being. WHO does not recommend pharmacological treatment, bariatric surgery (weight-loss surgery that changes the stomach or digestive tract) or weight-loss devices for children aged 0 to 9. For adolescents aged 10 to 19, treatment with approved medicines can be considered, but only if a supervised multimodal lifestyle programme has not achieved the desired results. Bariatric surgery may also be considered under strict conditions for adolescents with severe obesity. Read More: Can an Air Purifier Really Protect Your Lungs? The guidelines stress that obesity management should go beyond weight loss and aim to improve health, functioning and well-being. Care should be person-centred, age-appropriate and responsive to the needs of each child and family, with long-term follow-up and continuity. Although it is not the main focus, the guidelines also highlight the need to address mental health alongside obesity. Anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and emotional dysregulation can contribute to unhealthy eating, physical inactivity and social withdrawal. Children and adolescents living with obesity may also face stigma and bullying that harm their emotional well-being. Health workers should address both obesity and mental health conditions early and together, using inclusive, developmentally appropriate and family-engaged approaches. The guidelines are part of WHO's broader response to the global obesity epidemic, including the WHO acceleration plan to stop obesity. Namya is a seasoned journalist with nearly two decades of experience. A graduate of Miranda House, Delhi University, and Boston University's College o... View More