India, Oct. 21 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued its first guideline on obesity in adolescents aged 10 to 19, saying weight-loss drugs should be considered only for those with obesity and a related complication, and only after at least six months of supervised lifestyle treatment has failed; the guideline was released in Geneva on Wednesday.
Scope and evidence base
The guideline covers young people aged 10 to 19 and says medicines should be prescribed by a team of specialists after “close evaluation of complete pubertal development, final adult height, and psychological stability.”
The WHO rated the evidence behind its recommendation on medicines as low quality and did not recommend a specific drug.
Lifestyle treatment a...