New statistics indicate that more and more children need to go through surgery in order to get rid of excess weight. The situation is so worrying that over the course of only five years, the number of such surgeries has doubled, according to Daily Mail.
The new research indicates that from 2016 to 2021, the rate of weight loss surgeries for kids and teenagers increased from around 730 to approximately 1,300. The rise was particularly notable from 2020 to 2021, with an increase of about 19%. Surprisingly or not, the surge is linked to the restrictions imposed during the COVID pandemic, which led to increased sedentary behaviors among young people.
Lifestyle changes should represent a priority
Some doctors are concerned about using surgery instead of lifestyle changes, and most agree that medical intervention is crucial for children’s health. Stats also indicate that a shocking percentage of 20% of American youth are obese, while 1 in 4 is dangerously overweight. As perhaps everyone knows by now, obesity is a dangerous condition for human health, and the situation won’t be different if you’re a child.
Childhood obesity poses significant risks to physical and mental well-being, and obesity-related health problems affect various aspects of the body of a child. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2019 policy endorsing weight loss surgeries for severe pediatric obesity marked a significant shift in the treatment for obesity. Bariatric and metabolic surgeries are effective treatments, but their utilization has been limited due to cost, lack of insurance coverage, as well as societal stigma.
In general, obesity poses significant risks to a person’s overall health and well-being. It is considered a complex medical condition that can have severe consequences. For instance, one of the dangers that are associated with obesity is represented by the increased risk of chronic diseases. Obesity significantly raises the risk for a person to develop chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, certain types of cancer, high blood pressure, and respiratory problems.
