Metabolic, behavioral health, and disordered eating comorbidities associated with obesity in pediatric patients: An Obesity Medical Association (OMA) Clinical Practice Statement 2022

BACKGROUND: This Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) Clinical Practice Statement (CPS) details metabolic, behavioral health, and disordered eating comorbidities associated with obesity in children. This CPS will be followed by a companion CPS covering further comorbidities, including genetics and social consequences related to overweight and obesity. These CPSs are intended to provide clinicians with an overview of clinical practices applicable to children and adolescents with body mass indices greater than or equal to the 95(th) percentile for their ages, particularly those with adverse consequences resulting from increased body mass. The information in this CPS is based on scientific evidence, supported by the medical literature, and derived from the clinical experiences of members of the OMA. METHODS: The scientific information and clinical guidance in this CPS is based upon referenced evidence and derived from the clinical perspectives of the authors. RESULTS: This OMA statement details metabolic, behavioral health, and disordered eating comorbidities associated with obesity in children. It provides clinical information regarding identifying and treating metabolic, behavioral health, and disordered eating comorbidities associated with obesity in children over the 95(th) percentile of weight/height for age. CONCLUSIONS: This OMA clinical practice statement details metabolic, behavioral health, and disordered eating comorbidities associated with obesity in children and provides an overview of current recommendations. These recommendations lay out a roadmap to the improvement of the health of children and adolescents with obesity, especially those with metabolic, physiological, and psychological complications.