In early January, the American Association of Pediatrics published new guidelines promoting expensive weight loss drugs and stomach rerouting surgery for obese children and adolescents, claiming they are “safe and effective.” Not only are active living and clean eating safer, cheaper, and healthier options in the long run, but these promoted extreme treatments could also severely damage childhood development. These drugs and surgeries mostly benefit the AAP’s members and donors who can use these guidelines to squeeze more money out of vulnerable families.
To induce the most rapid weight loss possible, the AAP recommends several medical treatments for children that could permanently harm their physical and mental development. Among them is a drug called orlistat, a pill that stops fat nutrient absorption in the digestive system by preventing the release of fat-processing enzymes and costs $803 per month. Another, semaglutide, is a regular injection that reduces appetite by mimicking hormones and slowing digestion and costs $1,627 per month. The most concerning recommendation is bariatric surgery, an invasive procedure that reroutes and removes portions of the digestive tract to reduce appetite and nutrient absorption, and it costs $23,000.
If these options sound dangerous for children, that’s because they are. Vitamins A, D, and E — critical to growth, bone development, and the immune system — are fat-soluble nutrients, so administering orlistat to children could significantly hamper their health and development. Semaglutide, which mimics the body’s hormones, carries a serious risk notice from the Food and Drug Administration of cancer in the
