Management of excessive weight gain in childhood

Obesity can be termed a chronic disease defined by excessive adiposity presenting a risk to health, with wide-ranging complications and reduced life expectancy. The rising prevalence of obesity in childhood poses a significant public health challenge, in the UK and globally. Obesity is a complex disease with sequelae in every system in the body. These include type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnoea, dyslipidaemia, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, increased risk of malignancy, orthopaedic conditions, and mental health problems. Obesity should be screened for and managed pro-actively in children and young people to improve long-term outcomes. This article provides an overview of managing excess weight gain in childhood considering aetiology, assessment, lifestyle, pharmacological and surgical interventions, and potential complications.