Callum Rowe, a pediatrics resident in a public health clinic at Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, John had a body mass index of 75. But intense food cravings meant the weight always came back-plus more. He tried diets and exercise, losing up to 40 pounds. "It was a lot of hardship I had to go through." "They call me names, hit me, push me, all of the above," John said. He developed anxiety triggered by daily bullying at school and was hospitalized as a sixth grader for two months with post-traumatic stress disorder. Starting in elementary school, John struggled with joint pain, shortness of breath and sleep apnea so severe that, at age 12, he needed coffee to stay awake. "You're dealing with a train that's headed over a cliff." "It's already affecting major organs by the time they get to me," Pratt said. John Simon, a teenager who had a bariatric surgery in 2022, eats out of a small bowl to control his calorie intake in Los Angeles, Monday, March 13, 2023. Janey Pratt, a Stanford University surgeon who performed surgery on John Simon. More than 240 diseases are associated with excess weight-including liver problems, diabetes and inflammation-and the signs show up early, said Dr. "Especially for children, diet and exercise must remain at the forefront of obesity prevention and treatment," he wrote in JAMA.īut medical experts who treat kids with severe obesity say research is clear: Diet and exercise alone aren't enough. David Ludwig, an endocrinologist and researcher at Boston Children's Hospital, warned that the "justified excitement" over new weight-loss medications shouldn't eclipse non-drug options. Some on social media accused doctors and parents of taking the easy way out, blaming things like junk food or video games-or accusing parents of "child abuse."ĭr. Mental Health America, an advocacy group, called them "dangerous" and "disheartening," saying they would increase eating disorders and perpetuate harmful stigma regarding weight. The recommendations were immediately controversial. In January, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued guidelines that call for considering obesity drugs for kids as young as 12 and surgery for those as young as 13. Don't wait until later in life because it's too late." It's not a behavioral disease," Kelly said.
Obesity was first classified as a complex, chronic disease a decade ago by the American Medical Association, but meaningful treatments have lagged far behind, said Aaron Kelly, co-director of the Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine at the University of Minnesota. It was getting harder and harder."Įighty percent of adolescents with excess weight carry it into adulthood, with potentially dire consequences for their health and longevity. "John has tried with all of his might," said his mother, Karen Tillman, 46, an accountant. John Simon, a teenager who had a bariatric surgery in 2022, takes a short break while exercising at El Workout Fitness in Los Angeles, Monday, March 13, 2023. Critics urge caution at intervening so early, but the kids and their parents say the aggressive-and often costly-measures are necessary options after years of ineffective diet and exercise programs. John and Edward are among a small but growing group of young teens turning to treatments like body-altering surgery and new drugs that rewire metabolism to lose large amounts of weight. Barbara Van Eeckhout, an obstetrician-gynecologist. "It's a huge deal and it will affect him for the rest of his life," said his mother, Dr. The 6-foot, 300-pound high school sophomore started using the obesity drug Wegovy in January-just a month after federal regulators approved it for children 12 and older-and has lost 40 pounds. In Minnesota, Edward Kent was diagnosed with fatty liver disease. "It was like a whole new start," said John, who will start high school in California this fall. Nine months after weight-loss surgery that removed a portion of his stomach, John has lost about 150 pounds, boosting his health-and his hopes for the future.
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