Pediatric obesity: impact and surgical management.
The incidence of children in the United States who are overweight or obese is increasing at an alarming rate, and many obesity-related complications are now being described in children. There appears to be no current pharmacologic treatment or surgical procedure that is both safe and effective for millions of obese children. Bariatric surgery may be useful, however, in carefully selected obese children with associated serious comorbidities unresponsive to medical or dietary interventions. The complications of pediatric obesity are discussed, as well as current medical and surgical management of this disorder.
Pohl
John F
JF
Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital at Scott & White, Scott & White Memorial Hospital, TX, USA. jpohl@swmail.sw.org
Stephen
Matthew
M
Wilson
Don P
DP
D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000379:methods*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology