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John Simon III was a hungry baby and a “chunky” toddler who grew into a chubby little boy, his mother said.
But by the time the California middle-schooler turned 14, his weight had soared to 430 pounds (195.04 kg) and become a life-threatening medical condition. Now, after weight loss surgery that removed a portion of his stomach, John has lost more than 150 pounds, boosting his health and his hopes for the future.
The children—and their parents—say the aggressive measures are a necessary option after years of failed diets and exercise programs.
The aggressive interventions are backed by some experts who treat obesity in children. Dr. Janey Pratt, a Stanford University surgeon who performed surgery on John Simon, says surgery was effective in his case.
Supporters of weight loss surgery or drugs in children say that they are safe and effective tools that are crucial when 80% of adolescents with excess weight carry it into adulthood—with dire consequences for their health and longevity.
But medical critics urge caution at intervening so early.
Dr. David Ludwig, an endocrinologist and researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital warns that the “justified excitement” over new weight loss medications shouldn’t eclipse non-drug options.
“Especially for children, diet and exercise must remain at the forefront of obesity prevention and treatment,” he wrote in JAMA, an open-access medical journal.
The Stanford program is among the busiest sites in the U.S., performing more than 50 of the 2,000 pediatric weight loss surgeries logged each year.
Those who take obesity drugs regain weight once they stop, research shows. Others see side effects that can be serious, including gallstones and inflammation of the pancreas. At the same time, neither surgery nor drugs will necessarily help children get down to what’s commonly called a “healthy” weight, a BMI of 25 or lower.
A key goal of the push to treat kids sooner is to have a better chance of helping them lose enough weight to reduce or halt obesity-related diseases.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.