WHO Recommends Lifestyle-Based Treatment as Childhood Obesity Continues to Rise

The World Health Organization has released its first global guidance specifically addressing the growing problem of childhood obesity. The organization recommends that treatment should begin with sustainable lifestyle changes, including healthier diets, physical activity and behavioral support.

The WHO says obesity has now surpassed underweight as the most common form of malnutrition among school-aged children and adolescents globally. UNICEF data indicate that approximately 400 million people aged 5 to 19 were overweight in 2024, including around 170 million living with obesity.

For adolescents aged 10 to 19, the guidelines allow consideration of weight-loss medicines such as GLP-1 drugs when supervised lifestyle interventions have not been successful. Bariatric surgery may be considered only for physically and mentally mature adolescents with severe obesity after other treatment approaches fail.

For children younger than 10, WHO recommends lifestyle and behavioral approaches rather than obesity medication or surgery because evidence about long-term safety and effectiveness remains limited.

The guidance emphasizes that childhood obesity requires long-term family, school and healthcare support rather than focusing only on body weight.