EASO was pleased to join the WHO launch of new guidelines on the integrated management of obesity in children and adolescents today. The new guidelines mark an important step forward in recognising that children and adolescents already living with obesity need access to appropriate, evidence-based obesity management, alongside wider ongoing efforts to prevent obesity.
Globally, around 160 million children and adolescents aged 5–19 and 890 million adults are living with obesity. Across the WHO European Region, obesity remains a major health challenge, with recent surveillance data showing that 11% of children aged 7–9 are living with obesity.
The new WHO guidance places person-centred, integrated obesity management within primary health care, with referral to specialist services where needed. It recognises that obesity management should extend beyond weight and BMI alone and appropriately considers the health, wellbeing, circumstances and individual needs of each child or adolescent.
The guidelines address nutrition, physical activity, behavioural and multimodal interventions, pharmacotherapy and, where appropriate, metabolic and bariatric surgery. They also consider mental health, disability, and genetic and familial factors.
This approach reflects key principles long supported by EASO, including recognising obesity as a chronic disease; moving beyond BMI as the sole basis for assessment and management; the importance of providing person-centred care; and ensuring access to a range of evidence-based management options according to individual needs.
Together with WHO guidance for adults, the new guidelines strengthen the life-course approach to obesity management and provide an important opportunity for health systems to improve access to appropriate, evidence based obesity management for children and adolescents across Europe. Addressing obesity will improve the ability of national health systems to manage the complications of obesity, including cardiovascular diseases and type2 diabetes.
English 
French