WHO Recommends Diet, Exercise and Counselling for Childhood Obesity

The World Health Organization recommended on Wednesday that childhood obesity be addressed through diet, exercise and counselling rather than popular weight-loss medicines.

The recommendations place changes to eating habits and physical activity at the centre of treatment, alongside advice and support.

The approach favours these measures over weight-loss injections, which were highlighted in the announcement’s focus on alternatives to medication for children.

The brief summary of the recommendations did not specify particular medicines or set out detailed dietary or exercise guidance. It also did not indicate whether exceptions would apply to the use of weight-loss drugs.