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Medicine and surgery are not the answer for overweight children, the World Health Organization said Thursday.

Releasing its first guidelines addressing the sharp rise in obesity among children and adolescents, the WHO instead strongly recommended structured diets, physical activity and behavior changes.

"WHO does not recommend pharmacological treatment, bariatric surgery (surgery that changes the stomach or digestive tract) or weight-loss devices for children aged 0–9 years," it said.

"For adolescents aged 10–19 years, treatment with approved medicines may be considered only when a supervised multimodal lifestyle program has not achieved the desired results.

"Bariatric surgery may be considered under strict conditions for adolescents with severe obesity."

The recommendations for those aged 19 and younger contrast with the U.N. health agency's guidelines for adult obesity issued in December 2025, following the surge in popularity of a new generation of appetite-suppressing drugs called GLP-1 agonists—which include blockbuster brands Ozempic and Mounjaro.

The WHO said the range of weight-loss and diabetes drugs could be used for tackling obesity—in adults.

In 2024, some 70 million children aged 5 to 9 were obese, as were 100 million adolescents aged 10 to 19 worldwide, according to the WHO.

Among 5- to 19-year-olds, the prevalence of obesity has surged globally, rising from 2% in 1990 to 8% in 2024.

"The rise of obesity is observed everywhere in all regions," said Luz Maria De Regil, director of the WHO's nutrition and food safety department.

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