Open AccessPharmacotherapy in pediatric obesity: current evidence and landscape
Author(s) -
Vibha Singhal,
Aluma Chovel Sella,
Sonali Malhotra
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
current opinion in endocrinology, diabetes and obesity./current opinion in endocrinology, diabetes and obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.199
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1752-2978
pISSN - 1752-296X
DOI - 10.1097/med.0000000000000587
Subject(s) - phentermine , medicine , orlistat , pharmacotherapy , obesity , weight loss , psychological intervention , clinical trial , management of obesity , pediatrics , intensive care medicine , childhood obesity , psychiatry , overweight
Childhood obesity is escalating globally. Lifestyle and behavioral changes, which are the frequently used interventions in clinical practice, lead to only modest improvements in children with established obesity. Bariatric surgery is currently the most effective obesity treatment but has very limited utilization in pediatric obesity and is preferentially used for children with worsening comorbidities. There exists a massive treatment gap for children suffering with obesity especially after the failure of lifestyle modifications. Pharmacotherapy that is an established management tool in adults is very infrequently used in children. Only two medications, Phentermine and Orlistat are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in adolescent obesity. Herein, we discuss the current landscape and available literature on the use of antiobesity pharmacotherapy in children.