

This constitutes a dramatic shift away from the "watchful waiting" approach that delayed medical treatment for weight loss and encouraged more lifestyle monitoring by health care providers. In January, for the first time in 15 years, the American Academy of Pediatrics released treatment guidelines for obesity in children, recommending earlier intervention, including obesity medications and surgery in certain cases. Photo by Natalie Wilson, courtesy of Sean Rutherford Sean Rutherford, photographed in their home state of Louisiana.
