It’s a sad note that we’ve gotten to the point in our society that our children are becoming so overweight, and the problem is so widespread, that now weight loss medication is now being approved for teens.

This is a worldwide problem, but it’s especially significant here in the U.S. As we adults get fatter and fatter, we are passing on the obesity legacy to our children. When in the 60s only about 4% of kids were obese, the percentage of children with weight problems has ballooned, quadrupling overall.

According to the American Obesity Association, overall, 15% of children between ages 6 and 19 are obese. And now, as many as one in four African American teen girls fit the clinical definition of obese.

The trickle down effect on other problems is tremendous, causing a sharp rise in high cholesterol, type two diabetes, and psychological stress in teens. And once they become adults themselves, it causes an increased death risk.

This epidemic has so alarmed health officials, that there is now a call to action.

One of the measures is weight loss medication.

A new study highlights how one drug works to help slow, and even reverse the excessive weight gain in adolescents. And while new research shows it works, the question is, how much does it truly help?

“About a third of kids referred for obesity and elevated cardiovascular risks, come to see us once and don’t come back.” According to Dr. Mark Jacobson, Director for Atherosclerosis Prevention at Schneider’s Children’s Hospital, treating overweight kids is problematic. “We’ve been using diet, exercise and behavior modification. All of these things work a little bit, some of them work for some patients some of them do almost nothing for other patients.”

Which has prompted medical experts to pull out all stops, to see what indeed works. And the latest research shows this drug, Orlistat, or Xenical, a drug approved for obesity in adults and recently approved for use in teens, does indeed help prevent the worsening of obesity in children.

More than a quarter of patients taking Orlistat had at least a 5% decrease in body mass index. The problem is, the drug isn’t indicated for longer than one year’s use, and after the drug is stopped, the tendency is for the patient to regain the weight.

Dr. Jacobson is optimistic about the drug, saying he saw a doubling of weight loss over just that one year period. “I’ve used it in selected patients and some of them have gotten a lot of help from it. Sometimes it’s just enough to give them a boost to feel they’re getting a result that helps them stay with the diet and exercise plan.”

So it’s a stopgap measure that works, but there are bigger fish to fry. Or grill as the case may be. “It’s because we’re not changing the environment. As soon as we change the environment I think all these things would work better,” says Dr. Jacobson.

Waist circumference also decreased in those using Orlistat. The side effects are the same as those that adults report: the drug works by blocking fat absorption from the gut into the blood, so if they take in too much fat, the person will experience nausea and fatty stools and abdominal pain. It’s sort of a disincentive to eat fatty foods.

Again, weight loss medication works best when used along with diet, exercise, and behavioral modification, which is when the child is taught to live a healthier lifestyle overall.

For more information on weight loss medication, go to our website at

http://www.obesity.org/

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