WHO Advises Against Obesity Drugs, Surgery for Under-10s

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Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced its first global guidelines for treating obesity in children and adolescents, advocating nutrition, physical exercise, and counselling rather than weight-loss medicines or bariatric surgery for children under the age of ten.
The guidance comes as childhood obesity rates continue to grow worldwide. According to WHO, 170 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 were obese in 2024, with another 400 million being overweight. The World Health Organization recommends medicines for children aged 10 and up, especially when lifestyle measures are insufficient. The suggestions highlight the integration of treatment with dietary, behavioural, and physical activity support.

The guidance differs from several current national recommendations. For example, US paediatric guidelines enable weight-loss medication to be evaluated for certain children as early as 8, demonstrating disparities in how countries address juvenile obesity.