Obesity management in kids is no different than treatment in adults in that it requires multidisciplinary intervention and ongoing monitoring to assure that lost weight is not regained.

1. How Effective is Obesity Treatment in Children?

2. Introduction No question - Canada, as many other Western countries is experiencing an unprecedented epidemic of childhood overweight and obesity. Many of these children will need obesity treatment - they are beyond the stage where “prevention” is likely to help. So do obesity interventions for kids actually work?

3. Study This was the topic of a Cochrane review by Oude Luttikhuis and colleagues from the University of Groningen published earlier this year. The authors analyzed all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of lifestyle (i.e. dietary, physical activity and/or behavioral therapy), drug and surgical interventions for treating obesity in children (mean age under 18 years) with or without the support of family members, with a minimum of six months follow up (three months for actual drug therapy).

4. Findings The final analysis included 64 RCTs (5230 participants). The studies included varied greatly in intervention design, outcome measurements and methodological quality (the surgical studies were considered to be of too poor quality to include in the analysis). The authors conclude that although there is not enough data to recommend one treatment program versus another, there is little doubt that combined behavioral lifestyle interventions are superior to standard care or self-help in producing clinically meaningful reduction in overweight in children and adolescents. In obese adolescents, consideration should also be given to the use of either orlistat or sibutramine, as an adjunct to lifestyle interventions.

5. Does it Work? As they point out, there is a continuing need for high quality research that considers psychosocial determinants for behavior change, strategies to improve clinician-family interaction, and cost-effective programs for primary and community care. Where it makes it appears for Dr. Sharma that obesity management in kids is no different than treatment in adults in that it requires multidisciplinary intervention and ongoing monitoring to assure that lost weight is not regained.

6. Far from Reality Unfortunately, we are far from having the infrastructure, the resources, or the medical expertise to provide adequate obesity interventions to the over 500,000 Canadian kids (and their parents?), who urgently require obesity treatments.

7. About Dr. Arya M. Sharma Dr. Arya M. Sharma, MD/PhD, FRCPC is Professor of Medicine & Chair for Obesity Research and Management at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. He is also the Medical Director of the Edmonton Capital Health Region’s interdisciplinary Weight Wise Program. Dr. Sharma is also the Scientific Director of the Canadian Obesity Network funded through the federal Networks of Centres Excellence program. Dr. Sharma has authored and co-authored more than 250 scientific articles and has lectured widely on the etiology and management of obesity and related cardiovascular disorders. He sends his informative messages through his blog Dr. Sharma’s Obesity Notes. For more information on Obesity visit; Website: http://www.drsharma.ca/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-Arya-Sharma/115328778486319