Task force: Screen kids, obesity treatment works

Good and bad.

An influential advisory panel says school-aged youngsters and teens should be screened for obesity and sent to intensive behavior treatment if they need to lose weight — a move that could transform how doctors deal with overweight children.
Treating obese kids can help them lose weight, the panel of doctors said in issuing new guidelines Monday. But that's only if it involves rigorous diet, activity and behavior counseling.

Just five years ago, the same panel — the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force — found few benefits from pediatric obesity programs. Since then, the task force said, studies have shown success. But that has only come with treatment that is costly, hard to find and hard to follow.

That would be good if parents were responsible for paying for the counseling and held accountable for abusing their kids.

If not, it is just like many other things that people get for free - it is taken for granted.

Additionally, unless mandatory reporters, such as physicians, nurses, teachers and principals, are also held accountable, there is little hope for this.

No stick, no work.

Of course, the underlying data suggesting that "studies have shown success," is suspect to begin with.

However, holding adults accountable for their actions will make a difference.