WHO advises against obesity drugs and surgery for children under 10

The World Health Organization says children under 10 should not receive obesity medicines, bariatric surgery or weight-loss devices. Its recommendations say care for children and adolescents should center on support for healthy eating, physical activity and sustainable behavior change.

WHO figures cited by Medical Xpress put the number of children aged 5 to 9 with obesity at 70 million worldwide in 2024, and adolescents aged 10 to 19 at 100 million. For adolescents, approved medicines may be considered only after a supervised multimodal lifestyle program has not achieved the desired results. Surgery may be considered under strict conditions for adolescents with severe obesity. WHO also stressed addressing mental health, and said children and adolescents living with obesity may experience stigma and bullying.