Interventions for treating obesity in children. Cochrane Heart Group. Oude Luttikhuis H, Baur L, Jansen H, Shrewsbury VA, O'Malley C, Stolk RP, Summerbell CD. Interventions for treating obesity in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD001872. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001872.pub2. Background: Childhood and adolescent obesity is increasingly common and can lead to significant short- and long-term health issues. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of lifestyle, drug, and surgical interventions for treating childhood obesity. Search strategy: Searches were conducted in CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ISI Web of Science, DARE, and NHS EED from 1985 to May 2008. No language restrictions were applied. Selection criteria: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of lifestyle, drug, and surgical interventions for children under 18 years old, with a minimum of six months follow-up. Excluded were studies on eating disorders, type 2 diabetes, or secondary/syndromic obesity. Data collection and analysis: Two reviewers independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. Authors were contacted for additional information. Main results: 64 RCTs (5230 participants) were included. Lifestyle interventions focused on physical activity, sedentary behavior, diet, and behavioral programs. Three drug interventions (metformin, orlistat, sibutramine) were found in 10 studies. No surgical interventions were included. Meta-analyses showed that lifestyle interventions reduced overweight in children and adolescents, especially when combined with orlistat or sibutramine. Adverse effects were noted in drug trials. Conclusions: While no single treatment is clearly superior, combined behavioral lifestyle interventions are effective compared to standard care or self-help. Orlistat or sibutramine may be considered for obese adolescents, but with caution due to potential adverse effects. High-quality research on psychosocial factors, clinician-family interaction, and cost-effective programs is needed.Interventions for treating obesity in children. Cochrane Heart Group. Oude Luttikhuis H, Baur L, Jansen H, Shrewsbury VA, O'Malley C, Stolk RP, Summerbell CD. Interventions for treating obesity in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD001872. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001872.pub2. Background: Childhood and adolescent obesity is increasingly common and can lead to significant short- and long-term health issues. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of lifestyle, drug, and surgical interventions for treating childhood obesity. Search strategy: Searches were conducted in CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ISI Web of Science, DARE, and NHS EED from 1985 to May 2008. No language restrictions were applied. Selection criteria: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of lifestyle, drug, and surgical interventions for children under 18 years old, with a minimum of six months follow-up. Excluded were studies on eating disorders, type 2 diabetes, or secondary/syndromic obesity. Data collection and analysis: Two reviewers independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. Authors were contacted for additional information. Main results: 64 RCTs (5230 participants) were included. Lifestyle interventions focused on physical activity, sedentary behavior, diet, and behavioral programs. Three drug interventions (metformin, orlistat, sibutramine) were found in 10 studies. No surgical interventions were included. Meta-analyses showed that lifestyle interventions reduced overweight in children and adolescents, especially when combined with orlistat or sibutramine. Adverse effects were noted in drug trials. Conclusions: While no single treatment is clearly superior, combined behavioral lifestyle interventions are effective compared to standard care or self-help. Orlistat or sibutramine may be considered for obese adolescents, but with caution due to potential adverse effects. High-quality research on psychosocial factors, clinician-family interaction, and cost-effective programs is needed.