Should medicine or surgery be used to help obese children lose weight?

Childhood obesity has been growing at alarming rates. According to a 2021 CDC report, nearly 20% of kids between the ages of 2-19 are obese, and roughly 6% are severely obese. In response, the American Academy of Pediatrics is issuing updated guidelines on treating childhood obesity It's a wide-ranging update, but one aspect is stirring up controversy – medication and permanent weight loss surgery for children as young as middle school.