Health
Kids with obesity need ‘behavioral counseling,’ task force recommends: 'Call to action'
Young people with obesity should receive intensive behavioral counseling, according to a major health agency.
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) conducted a systematic review of various types of weight management interventions — including behavioral counseling and prescription medications — for kids and teens aged 6 and older.
The official recommendation was published in JAMA on Tuesday.
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The task force stated that people in this age group with a high BMI (95% or greater) should receive at least 26 hours of “comprehensive, intensive behavioral interventions.”
Young people with obesity should receive intensive behavioral counseling, according to a major health agency. (iStock)
“The USPSTF concludes with moderate certainty that providing or referring children and adolescents 6 years or older with a high BMI to comprehensive, intensive behavioral interventions has a moderate net benefit,” the recommendation stated.
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“Therefore, clinicians should provide those with a high BMI with such interventions or refer them to appropriate health care professionals.”
Approximately 19.7% of U.S. children and adolescents between 2 and 19 years of age have a body mass index (BMI) at or above 95%, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Incorporating regular physical activity is a core component of the recommended behavioral interventions. (iStock)
BMIs tend to rise with age and in certain ethnic groups, including Hispanic/Latino, Native American/Alaska Native and non-Hispanic Black children and adolescents.
Youth from lower-income families are also more likely to have obesity, per the CDC.
While BMI is an “imperfect measure” of obesity, the task force noted that most children with a BMI above 95% will have obesity, while few children with a BMI below 85% will fall in the obese category.
‘A gateway disease’
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert, is not affiliated with the USPSTF, but offered his reaction to the new guidance.
“This recommendation is not just a guideline; it’s a call to action,” he told Fox News Digital.
Obesity can be seen as a “gateway disease” linked to many other non-infectious, age-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and even certain cancers, a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“Early recognition and intervention are critical to curbing a potential lifetime of health problems.”
Obesity can be seen as a “gateway disease,” according to Osborn, linked to many other non-infectious, age-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and even certain cancers.
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Osborn agreed that the recommended behavioral interventions are “vital” in helping young individuals adopt healthier lifestyles.
“These interventions focus on supervised physical activity (supplanting mobile phone usage with structured exercise), healthy eating education and behavior change techniques,” he said.
In addition to behavioral changes, the doctor recommends medications like GLP-I agonists — such as Ozempic — as a “necessary boost” to kick-start weight loss. (Getty Images)
In addition to behavioral changes, Osborn recommends incorporating medications like GLP-I agonists — such as Ozempic — as a “necessary boost” to kick-start weight loss.
“These medications can be particularly beneficial when behavioral interventions alone do not suffice, helping adolescents gain the momentum needed to adopt and maintain healthier lifestyles,” Osborn said.
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“Just as we once revolutionized public health by combating infections, we must now focus on preventing and managing obesity to stave off a cascade of future diseases.”
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More than 59% of women may have high blood pressure by 2050, according to a new report from the American Heart Association.
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A new report by the American Heart Association (AHA) included some troubling predictions for the future of women’s health.
The forecast, published in the journal Circulation on Wednesday, projected increases in various comorbidities in American females by 2050.
More than 59% of women were predicted to have high blood pressure, up from less than 49% currently.
The review also projected that more than 25% of women will have diabetes, compared to about 15% today, and more than 61% will have obesity, compared to 44% currently.
As a result of these risk factors, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7%.
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in women is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7% by 2050. (iStock)
Not all trends were negative, as unhealthy cholesterol prevalence is expected to drop to about 22% from more than 42% today, the report stated.
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Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods in Minnesota, commented on these “jarring findings.”
“The fact that on our current trajectory, cardiometabolic disease is projected to explode in women within one generation should be a huge wake-up call,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“Hypertension, diabetes, obesity — these are all major risk factors for heart disease, and we are already seeing what those risks are driving. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, eclipsing all other causes of death, including breast cancer.”
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and around the world. (iStock)
Klodas warned that heart disease starts early, progresses “stealthily,” and can present “out of the blue in devastating ways.”
The AHA published another study on Thursday revealing one million hospitalizations, showing that heart attack deaths are climbing among adults below the age of 55.
The more alarming finding, according to Klodas, is that young women were found more likely to die after their first heart attack than men of the same age.
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“This is all especially tragic since heart disease is almost entirely preventable,” she said. “The earlier you start, the better.”
Children can show early evidence of plaque deposition in their arteries, which can be reversed through lifestyle changes if “undertaken early enough and aggressively enough,” according to the expert.
Moving more is one part of protecting a healthy heart, according to experts. (iStock)
Klodas suggested that rising heart conditions are associated with traditional risk factors, like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
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Doctors are also seeing higher rates of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, as well as gestational diabetes. Klodas noted that these are sex-specific risk factors that don’t typically contribute to complications until after menopause.
The best way to protect a healthy heart is to “do the basics,” Klodas recommended, including the following lifestyle habits.
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Klodas especially emphasized making improvements to diet, as the food people eat affects “every single risk factor that the AHA’s report highlights.”
“High blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excess weight – these are all conditions that are driven in part or in whole by food,” she said. “We eat multiple times every single day, which means what we eat has profound cumulative effects over time.”
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health,” a doctor said. (iStock)
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health.”
The doctor also recommends changing out a few snacks per day for healthier choices, which has been proven to “yield medication-level cholesterol reductions” in a month.
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“Keep up that small change and, over the course of a year, you could also lose 20 pounds and reduce your sodium intake enough to avoid blood pressure-lowering medications,” Klodas added.
“Women should not view the AHA report as inevitable. We have power over our health destinies. We just need to use it.”
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