Treatment of Obesity in Adolescence

Abstract

Rapid weight gain is normal in adolescence. In an obese teen-ager, triceps skinfold measurements help in determining how much of this weight is excess fat. Conventional weight-control methods are notable for their lack of success in this age group. Severe caloric restriction, besides being inherently risky from a metabolic standpoint and inadvisable for psychologic reasons, is a wholly unworkable approach. Cutting food portions to prevent further fat gain is realistic.