Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 4 — Narrative / commentaryPeer-reviewed

Managing obesity in children: a clinical practice guideline

Geoff D.C. Ball; Roah Merdad; Catherine S. Birken; Tamara R. Cohen; Brenndon Goodman; Stasia Hadjiyannakis; Jill Hamilton; Mélanie Henderson; John Lammey; Katherine M. Morrison; Sarah A. Moore; Aislin R. Mushquash; Ian Patton; Nicole Pearce; Joshua Ramjist; Tracy Lebel; Brian W. Timmons; Annick Buchholz; Jennifer Cantwell; Jennifer Cooper; Julius Erdstein; Donna Fitzpatrick‐Lewis; Dawn Hatanaka; Patrice Lindsay; Tasneem Sajwani; Meghan Sebastianski; Diana Sherifali; Julie St‐Pierre; Muhammad Usman Ali; Jessica Wijesundera; Angela S. Alberga; Christine Ausman; Trisha C Baluyot; Emily Burke; Kara Dadgostar; Bronwyn Delacruz; Elizabeth Dettmer; Maegan Dymarski; Zahra Esmaeilinezhad; Ilona Hale; Soren Harnois‐Leblanc; Josephine Ho; Nicole D. Gehring; Marsha Kucera; Jacob C. Langer; Amy C. McPherson; Leen Naji; Krista Oei; Grace O’Malley; Angelica M Rigsby; Gita Wahi; Ian Zenlea; Bradley C. Johnston

Canadian Medical Association Journal · 2025

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Summary

This Canadian Medical Association Journal clinical practice guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for the management of obesity in children and adolescents. Developed by a multidisciplinary author group, it synthesises available evidence on lifestyle, behavioural, pharmacological, and surgical interventions to guide clinicians and families in value- and preference-sensitive decision-making. The guideline is intended to support informed, individualised care that balances intervention benefits against potential harms.

UK applicability

Although developed within a Canadian healthcare context, the clinical evidence underpinning the recommendations is broadly applicable to UK paediatric practice; UK clinicians and policymakers may find the framework useful, though specific recommendations should be interpreted in light of NHS guidelines and NICE guidance on childhood obesity.

Key measures

BMI; weight-related outcomes; quality of life; cardiometabolic risk markers; intervention benefits and harms; patient values and preferences

Outcomes reported

The guideline evaluates the benefits and harms of available interventions for childhood obesity management, including lifestyle, pharmacological, and surgical approaches, to inform shared decision-making between clinicians, children, and families.

Theme
Nutrition & health
Subject
Paediatric obesity & weight management
Study type
Guideline
Study design
Clinical practice guideline
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Canada
System type
Human clinical
DOI
10.1503/cmaj.241456
Catalogue ID
NRmo3f02hq-0da

Topic tags

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