11-14-yr-olds in obesity crosshairs, docs launch multi-speciality plan

Kolkata: A 20% rise in obesity among children aged 11 to 14 in Kolkata was reported by experts at a meet to observe World Obesity Day. A multi-specialty joint consensus on obesity management was launched at the International-Standard Obesity–Metabolic Conference on Sunday. Organized by the Association of Metabolic & Obesity Clinicians and Endocrinologists (AMOCE), it was attended by over 1,000 doctors from all over the globe and across specialities, making it one of the largest and most comprehensive academic gatherings in the field of obesity and metabolic health in India. "There has been a sharp rise in obesity among schoolchildren in most cities, including Kolkata, specifically in the age group of 11-14. Also, in urban populations, body mass index has gone up. This has been partly triggered by an increase in ‘abdominal fat deposit' which is directly linked to metabolism and causes diabetes and cardiac issues. The reasons behind this are unrestricted diet and decrease in physical activities," said A Ramachandran, endocrinologist and chairman of ARH Diabetes Hospitals, Chennai.Risk of diabetes, fatty liver disease, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular diseases increase manifold with obesity, Ramachandran added. Obesity is the biggest reason behind diabetes, hypertension and consequently, cardiac diseases, said Indira Maisnam, endocrinologist, Charnock Hospital. "So, if the 11-14 age group is turning obese, then a large section of the population is heading towards these diseases," she said. AMOCE said it launched the joint consensus as a multi-disciplinary approach to combat obesity. Diagnosing, managing, and monitoring comorbid conditions were among reasons cited for healthcare practitioners to adopt a multidisciplinary team approach. Another argument was that obesity management has changed. A broad array of procedural therapies has emerged that proved more effective than conservative therapy alone in achieving and maintaining weight loss, reducing comorbidities, and improving quality of life. Developed through collaboration across endocrinology, cardiology, hepatology, psychiatry, orthopedics, and primary care, the consensus provides India-relevant, phenotype-specific guidance tailored to the unique metabolic risks of South Asians. Experts also pointed to the need to move beyond weight-centric models to organ protection and disease modification. "Childhood obesity in India rose from 4% in 1975 to almost 20% in 2022," said Debashis Basu, endocrinologist and chairman of METTA Dana Foundation. "The rise is faster in low and middle-income countries. Childhood obesity often continues in adulthood, increasing risk of non-communicable ailments like diabetes and certain cancers."
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