In a pivotal move to combat the escalating childhood obesity crisis in the United States, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released a series of policy statements and clinical guidelines advocating for the broader use of metabolic and bariatric surgery among adolescents. This recommendation comes amid growing evidence supporting the surgery’s effectiveness in this age group. However, the AAP’s publications also shed light on significant disparities and underutilization of these potentially life-saving procedures among minority and underserved populations.
The AAP’s guidelines emphasize the urgent need to address these health disparities, pointing out that the risk and severity of obesity disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minority groups. Yet, these same groups are less likely to receive bariatric surgery compared to their white counterparts. The academy calls for a more equitable approach to healthcare, urging medical professionals to consider metabolic and bariatric surgery as a viable option for adolescents meeting specific criteria, regardless of their racial or ethnic background.
This initiative by the AAP not only aims to provide a more effective treatment pathway for adolescents struggling with severe obesity but also seeks to bridge the gap in healthcare equity. By highlighting the underrepresentation of minority groups in bariatric surgery statistics, the AAP is advocating for a healthcare system that offers equal opportunities for all patients to achieve optimal health outcomes.
“Addressing Disparities and Underutilization of Adolescent Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery” by Marc P. Michalsky, MD, MBA; and Janey Pratt, MD, on the Pediatrics journal website (February 27, 2024)
