Students will be checked for obesity more often.

      The National Medical Research Center for Endocrinology is developing updated guidelines for the prevention and treatment of obesity in children. The document is planned to be adopted in 2027, but a comprehensive plan to combat the so-called "silent epidemic" is expected to emerge at the federal level as early as June.

      One of the key measures will be additional monitoring of the weight of children aged 6, 10, 15, and 17 years. These periods are considered the most dangerous by medical professionals in terms of hormonal restructuring of the body and the risk of gaining excess weight.

      According to specialists, currently, every fourth child in Russia is overweight, and one in ten is diagnosed with obesity. Boys face this problem more often than girls. Experts predict that without systemic measures, by 2030, about half of Russians could suffer from obesity, writes "Russian Gazette."

      The new guidelines are planned to emphasize not only treatment but also prevention. In particular, discussions are underway regarding restrictions on the installation of vending machines with soda and snacks in schools, changes to school menus, the return of dietitians to educational institutions, and limiting fast food advertising near schools.

      Additionally, doctors propose to involve psychologists more actively in treatment, as obesity is often related to the eating habits of the entire family. The expansion of medication therapy and the use of modern drugs for treating obesity in adolescents are also being considered.

      In severe cases, adolescents are already undergoing bariatric surgeries—surgical reduction of stomach volume. Such interventions have been included in the state guarantee program starting this year.

      Special attention is being paid to physical activity. The Endocrinology Center has developed a method for individualizing exercise loads for children using special tests that allow for determining the optimal training regimen for burning fat without overloading the body.

      Earlier, we reported that the Kirov region has become one of the leading regions for childhood obesity. According to EMISS, in 2024, the region registered 3,867 cases of obesity per 100,000 children aged 0 to 17 years. In this indicator, the region ranked fourth in Russia. Read more about this here.