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Childhood obesity—a problem of surgical proportions?

Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology & Hepatology volume 5, pages 180–181 (2008)Cite this article

Over the past 30 years, we have witnessed an epidemic of adult and childhood obesity in the US. Now, 18% of pediatric patients are obese (BMI-for-age ≥95th percentile), while 2–6% exhibit extreme obesity (BMI-for-age >99th percentile).1 Research has linked childhood obesity to many physical and medical problems. The high likelihood that cardiovascular risk factors are also present when BMI values exceed the 99th percentile1 suggests that extreme pediatric obesity is an overt indicator of other adverse health conditions, which require careful evaluation and treatment.

It has been well documented that pediatric obesity—and especially extreme pediatric obesity—is poorly responsive to most nonsurgical weight-loss interventions that target the individual or their family.2 An implication is that we must begin to consider extreme obesity in childhood as a chronic disease; we should examine the evidence and establish sensible thresholds for taking medically appropriate action.

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  1. Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 2023, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA thomas.inge@cchmc.org

Authors and Affiliations

  1. TH Inge is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine and an Attending Surgeon at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,

    Thomas H Inge

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  1. Thomas H Inge
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Inge, T. Childhood obesity—a problem of surgical proportions?. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 5, 180–181 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpgasthep1072

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