Paediatricians in Bahrain have called for more studies to be carried out before putting overweight children under the surgeon’s knife to tackle the country’s obesity explosion.

A recent American-based study suggests children struggling with their weight should be treated early and aggressively with medication and surgery, an option some say should be considered.

The study was released by Dr Ihuoma Eneli, director at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in the US, and a paediatrician and professor of Clinical Paediatrics at the Ohio State University College of Medicine. “Waiting does not work,” she said.

“What we see is a continuation of weight gain and the likelihood that they will have obesity in adulthood.”

Dr Eneli recommends that adolescents going through obesity should have access to appropriate drugs and weight loss surgery as options, and not just exercise and dietary changes.

She suggested that doctors should offer children aged 12 and above access to relevant medication, and that teenagers aged 13 and above should be referred for weight-loss surgery.

These guidelines follow the approval of injectable prescription medication Wegovy by the American Academy of Paediatrics.

A study by the New England Journal of Medicine showed that it helped a select group of teens reduce their BMI by 16 per cent on average.

It works by affecting the pathway between the brain and the gut, helping the individual feel fuller than usual.

Many medical professionals have reacted cautiously to the study although Dr Stephen Angamuthu of the Royal Bahrain Hospital believes it is an option worth considering.

“Obesity is a complex chronic disease,” he said. “Studies show that early interventions in the form of medications or surgery in severe cases of obesity have long-term benefits.”

He stated that obesity, being a biological problem, may not necessarily be down to lifestyle choices or eating habits, and thus requires a multimodal approach.

“We should evaluate and treat each patient accordingly,” he said.

“Most treatments compose of lifestyle changes and dieting, but in severe cases, medication and surgery may be warranted.

“They have a 5-6pc chance of complications though, so it is only recommended if the benefits outweigh the risks,” he added.

Other professionals such as Dr Kunhimoosa, a paediatrician at Shifa Aljazeera Medical Centre, believes more research is required.

“In my opinion the US study needed a larger sample size and more evidence,” he said. “Perhaps I could recommend medications for children above the age of 12 but, as for surgery, I am sceptical at present due to the small sample size.”

A GDN report from March 2022 showed that the country continued to battle high obesity rates among citizens with almost a third of Bahrainis aged 18 and above being overweight.

In August 2022, Bahrain was selected among a group of 25 countries and first GCC country to implement a World Health Organisation (WHO) plan to accelerate progress towards reducing obesity in the country.

The Bahrain Obesity Academy launched last September and began training 45 doctors in prevention, diagnosis and mismanagement in a bid to reduce the obesity rate.

Early intervention and awareness are key elements in tackling obesity, all experts agree.

“The parents and children need to be educated at an early age,” said Dr Kunhimoosa. “Unfortunately, the issue of obesity among the paediatric population is not being addressed properly. It’s not only a case of healthy diet and exercising but minimising the amount of ‘screen time’ is crucial in battling obesity in children.

“If concerned, get your child checked out by a paediatrician or endocrinologist, obesity may not be a simple issue, but it is treatable and often a lifelong commitment is necessary to sustain a healthy weight.”