JAMA PEDIATRICS PATIENT PAGE

What Parents Should Expect From the New AAP Obesity Guidelines
Despite recent improvements in diagnosis and treatment, more than 14 million children
in the US have obesity.

Obesity is a chronic disease and is not from a lack of willpower or • Keep weight talk out of usual conversation. Comments about our
motivation. It is the result of genetic, social, and environmental fac- children’s eating habits often backfire. Instead, model health be-
tors. Social drivers of health contribute as well, including poverty, haviors that you wish to see in your children. They are watching
racism, weight bias and discrimination, and lack of access to healthy and will mimic what they see.
foods and physical activity opportunities. • Most of all, make sure your child knows you love them. If we focus
All these factors make treating obesity difficult. The American too much on weight, it can interfere with our relationships.
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently published guidelines to aid pe-
diatricians and other health care professionals in delivering obesity Pediatric weight management encourages healthy lifestyle changes
care to patients. Understandably, many parents have questions that the child can maintain as they get older.
about what these guidelines mean for their child. Obesity care for children may include
If your family is interested in obesity care, look for a health care treatment options such as:
• Behavior change techniques
professional who offers comprehensive obesity treatment. This may
• Medications
be available in your child’s pediatrician’s office, often in partnership • Weight loss surgery
with a specialty program or community partners. Weight manage-
ment requires frequent and long-term contact with your treat- Parents are an important part of obesity care for children.
ment team. At these visits, a health care professional may measure Talk to your child in an age-appropriate way
height and weight to calculate your child’s body mass index (BMI; Model healthy behaviors and make changes as a family
calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters Set a consistent schedule for meals, snacks, sleep, and activity
squared), which is a tool to screen for excess body fat and track Keep weight talk out of everyday conversations
growth over time. They will also ask questions about nutrition, ac- Make sure your child knows that you love them
tivity, family history, sleep, mental health, and other medical prob-
lems. Additional testing may be needed, such as blood tests, sleep
studies, or referrals to other specialists.
The goal of pediatric weight management is healthy lifestyle
changes that a child can maintain as they get older. Parents may be
surprised to learn that focusing on quick or dramatic weight loss, or
strict diet and exercise programs, is not safe or healthy. Your family
should work together to set goals, focusing on improvement in qual- Healthy weight management focuses on setting goals and making lifestyle changes
as a family for improvement in quality of life, medical issues, and overall health.
ity of life, medical issues, self-esteem, and overall health. Different
treatment approaches may be offered, including behavior change
techniques, medications, or weight loss surgery.
As a parent, there are many things you can do to help. Talk about FOR MORE INFORMATION
your child’s weight with your pediatrician. This is a sensitive topic,
so take care in how this is discussed with your child. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/151/2/
e2022060640/190443/Clinical-Practice-Guideline-for-the-
• Talk to your child in an age-appropriate way. If children do not have
Evaluation-and
the proper tools and support to make healthy lifestyle changes, https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/growing-
they may feel like they have to figure them out on their own. This healthy
can put them at risk for developing disordered eating behaviors. https://www.wakehealth.edu/specialty/b/brenner-fit/cook-eat-
• Make changes as a family. Singling out 1 child for change can be play-repeat
harmful. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/
nutrition
• Set a consistent schedule for family meals and snacks, adequate
sleep, and daily activities.

Authors: Gail M. Cohen, MD, MS; Callie L. Brown, MD, MS; Joseph A. Skelton, MD, MS The JAMA Pediatrics Patient Page is a public service of JAMA Pediatrics.
Published Online: November 27, 2023. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.4852 The information and recommendations appearing on this page are appropriate in
most instances, but they are not a substitute for medical diagnosis. For specific
Author Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, information concerning your child’s medical condition, JAMA Pediatrics suggests that
Winston-Salem, North Carolina. you consult your child’s physician. This page may be downloaded or photocopied
Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Skelton reported serving as editor-in-chief of Childhood noncommercially by physicians and other health care professionals to share with
Obesity and receiving royalties from UpToDate as part of reviewing and writing educational patients. To purchase bulk reprints, email reprints@jamanetwork.com.
content outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.

jamapediatrics.com (Reprinted) JAMA Pediatrics Published online November 27, 2023 E1

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