Treatment for children with obesity has lasting effect: Study

When obese children receive weight-loss treatment, the effects last throughout their lives, and their risk of significant health problems and premature death decreases as they enter young adulthood. However, this is not true for depression and anxiety, according to a Karolinska Institutet study.

The study shows that children and adolescents who respond well to obesity treatment are less likely to develop obesity-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia (abnormally high levels of fat in the blood) as young adults.