A recent update on childhood obesity: aetiology, treatment and complications

Obesity is a complex, chronic condition characterised by excess adiposity. Rates of obesity in childhood and adolescence are increasing worldwide, with a corresponding increase in adulthood. The aetiology of obesity is multifactorial and results from a combination of endocrine, genetic, environmental and societal factors. Population level approaches to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity worldwide are urgently needed. There are wide-ranging complications from excess weight affecting every system in the body, which lead to significant morbidity and reduced life expectancy. Treatment of obesity and its complications requires a multi-faceted, biopsychosocial approach incorporating dietary, exercise and psychological treatments. Pharmacological treatments for treating childhood obesity have recently become available, and there is further development of new anti-obesity medications in the pipeline. In addition, bariatric surgery is being increasingly recognised as a treatment option for obesity in adolescence providing the potential to reverse complications related to excess weight. In this review, we present an update on the prevalence, aetiology, complications and treatment of childhood obesity.