Obesity in children, adolescents and adults

Current Care Summary
Working group appointed by the Finnish Medical Society Duodecim, the Finnish Association for the Study of Obesity and the Finnish Paediatric Society
3.3.2020

Current Care Guideline «Lihavuus (lapset, nuoret ja aikuiset)»1 and Summary «Lihavuus (lapset, nuoret ja aikuiset)»2 in Finnish

Obesity in childhood and adolescence often continues into adulthood. Promotion of healthy lifestyle (nutrition, physical activity and sufficient sleep) is crucial for both prevention and treatment of obesity. Family-centered approaches are the most effective in children. In adults the aim is to prevent and alleviate co-morbidities (e.g. type 2 diabetes, hypertension), and a weight loss of 5 % induces favourable changes. The cornerstones of weight management in adults are lifestyle changes, which can be supplemented by very-low-energy diets and drug therapy. Bariatric surgery is indicated in cases of morbid obesity, if conservative therapies are not successful.

Kirsi Pietiläinen (Chair), Riitta Veijola (Chair), Katriina Kukkonen-Harjula, Susanna Anglé, Mikael Fogelholm, Satu Jyväkorpi, Jarmo Jääskeläinen, Marja Kalavainen, Leila Karhunen, Renja Karhunen, Miira Klemetti, Vesa Koivukangas, Heli Kuusipalo, Merja Laine, Satu Männistö, Harri Niinikoski, Timo Partonen, Tuula Pekkarinen, Timo Strandberg, Tuija Tammelin, Anna-Maria Teeriniemi, Mika Venojärvi