John Simon, a teenager who had a bariatric surgery in 2022, exercises with his trainer Chris Robles at El Workout Fitness in Los Angeles, Monday, March 13, 2023.
June 21, 2023
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June 21, 2023 1 a.m.
Teens battling obesity turning to surgery, weight loss drugs
A small but growing group of young teens are turning to drastic treatments to lose large amounts of weight, things like body-altering surgery and new drugs that rewire metabolism. Recent guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics call for early and intensive treatment of kids as young as 12, but those have been controversial. Children and their parents who've chosen those options say the aggressive measures are necessary after years of ineffective diets and exercise programs.