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Article Summary This long-term population study examines how changes in weight from childhood to young adulthood relate to adult coronary heart disease risk, highlighting adolescence as a critical period. The BMI Epidemiology Study (BEST) in Gothenburg, Sweden examined whether changes in weight status from childhood through young adulthood influence adult CHD risk. Childhood and Young Adulthood Overweight, Including Obesity, and the Risk of CHD: Both childhood overweight and young adult overweight/obesity were associated with higher adult CHD risk, though no significant differences were seen between sexes. Changes in Weight Status Between Childhood and Young Adulthood and the Risk of CHD: Individuals who were overweight in childhood but normalized by young adulthood had CHD risk like those who were never overweight, indicating reversibility of risk. In contrast, pubertal onset overweight (normal childhood weight but overweight in young adulthood) and persistent overweight (overweight in both periods) were linked to higher CHD risk, with pubertal onset overweight carrying the highest risk, particularly in men. BMI Percentile Changes Between Childhood and Young Adulthood and the Risk of CHD: Using BMI percentiles, high childhood BMI that normalized by young adulthood did not increase CHD risk, while high young adult BMI, regardless of childhood BMI, was linked to higher CHD risk. While excess adiposity in childhood is associated with later obesity, it does not appear to irreversibly program CHD risk if weight normalizes by young adulthood. Change in Weight Status From Childhood to Young Adulthood and Risk of Adult Coronary Heart Disease.

Discover the most effective weight loss medications approved by the FDA. Comprehensive guide on safety, dosage, and efficacy for 2025.

A recent study by Rodriguez et al. (2025) reviewed differences in pediatric obesity treatment before and after the release of the 2023 AAP Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Obesity.

The Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) supports many aspects of the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans , including: A strong emphasis on reducing intake of ultra-processed foods and added sugars A focus on nutrient-dense foods containing fiber, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains The recommendation to limit saturated fat intake to no more than 10% of total daily calories and to prioritize healthier unsaturated fats Emerging evidence highlighting the importance of nutrition in supporting gut microbiome health Support for extended breastfeeding as beneficial to both maternal and child health At the same time, the OMA emphasizes that obesity is a chronic, relapsing and progressive disease process affecting weight homeostasis.

Pediatric MASLD is rapidly rising alongside childhood obesity. This expert consensus outlines current evidence on epidemiology, diagnosis, and management, highlighting screening strategies and emerging therapies to guide early identification and care.

The Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) is pleased to announce a new multi-phase Quality Improvement (QI) initiative designed to strengthen obesity care delivery across diverse outpatient clinical settings in the United States. OMA is also partnering with Q Synthesis LLC, a healthcare quality improvement company, to develop and implement key components of the initiative. At the heart of the program is the Implementation into Practice Collaborative (IPC) , a virtual learning collaborative that will run from February through May 2026.

A new study by Williamson et al. (2025) showed that adding a short sleep screening tool directly into the EHR helped primary care providers identify more sleep disorders and led to more PSG orders and specialty referrals. This is a simple, practical approach that could also be very useful in Obesity Medicine, where sleep screening is still often missed but could make a big impact

The Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) welcomes today’s announcement by the White House Administration regarding expanded access to obesity medications and a commitment to make effective treatment for the chronic disease of obesity more affordable and widely available.

For decades, the number on the scale has been treated as the ultimate benchmark of health. In clinical settings, weight reduction has often been framed as the primary outcome, and weight gain as failure. Yet, as obesity medicine advances, it is increasingly clear that this approach is incomplete and potentially counterproductive. Weight alone fails to capture the complexity of health and behavior change, while overemphasis on the scale can erode trust, reinforce stigma, and undermine long-term engagement (1–3).