By Dr. Lourdes Asiain
As a pediatrician and physician certified in obesity medicine, I care for children, adolescents and young adults living with obesity every day. One of the most frustrating aspects of my work is knowing that highly effective treatments exist, yet many families are blocked from accessing them by arbitrary insurance barriers.
Texas has the sixth-highest childhood obesity rate in the nation. One in four Texas youths ages 6-17 is affected by obesity, compared with one in five nationwide. This should alarm every Texan. Our children are the state’s future workforce, innovators and leaders, yet we are failing to protect their health.
Too often, obesity is still mischaracterized as a mere failure of willpower, personal responsibility or lifestyle choices. This outdated misconception continues to skew public opinion and shape health policy. The medical reality is clear: obesity is a chronic, complex disease driven by biological, genetic, hormonal and environmental factors.
We would never tell a child with asthma, diabetes or cancer to simply “try harder” to overcome their condition. Yet, children living with obesity routinely face blame, stigma and judgment rather than receiving medical care. This stigma is uniquely destructive for young people still developing their sense of identity, confidence and self-worth.
I have seen families struggle for years, burdened by the belief that a teenager’s weight is the result of laziness or a lack of discipline. When these families learn that obesity is a chronic disease with deep biological roots, a profound shift occurs. The blame evaporates. Children stop seeing themselves as failures and families begin working together to manage a medical condition.
The consequences of leaving childhood obesity untreated are severe and immediate. Children and adolescents with obesity face a markedly increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease and sleep apnea before reaching adulthood. Beyond the physical toll, many also struggle with social isolation, anxiety, depression and relentless bullying. These are not distant adult concerns; they compromise a child’s health and quality of life right now.
Fortunately, medical science has advanced. Comprehensive obesity care includes nutrition counseling, behavioral interventions, physical activity support, FDA-approved medications, and, when clinically appropriate, metabolic and bariatric surgery — supported by telehealth to reach our rural communities. These treatments are not shortcuts. They are evidence-based medical interventions for a serious, costly chronic disease.
When patients in my practice have coverage for modern obesity treatments, the results are remarkable. I see significant weight loss, normalized lipid profiles and reversal of prediabetes.
Just as important are the changes that cannot be measured by a lab test. Teenagers who once withdrew from the world regain their confidence. Young adults reengage in sports, school, work and daily life. Their health improves, their outlook shifts and their futures brighten.
Yet, many Texas families never get to experience these breakthroughs because care remains financially out of reach.
In a glaring policy failure, many insurance plans cover the costly complications of obesity while flatly refusing to cover obesity treatments. A patient can secure coverage after developing Type 2 diabetes or heart disease as a comorbidity of obesity but is denied the very treatments that could have prevented those conditions in the first place. This approach is neither compassionate nor fiscally responsible.
Prevention remains a critical pillar. Texas must continue to invest in access to nutritious food, physical education, and community environments that support healthy living. But prevention alone cannot treat the millions of Texas children already living with this disease. They deserve access to the same standard of evidence-based medical care we provide for any other chronic illnesses.
As lawmakers navigate interim charges and look ahead to the next legislative session, they have a vital opportunity to reform coverage policies that perpetuate health inequities and stigma.
As physicians, we should never have to tell a suffering family that an effective treatment exists but is denied to them by an insurance loophole. As a state, Texas should not accept a system that waits for children to get sicker before offering help.
Obesity is a chronic disease. The science is clear. Evidence-based treatments are available. Let’s align our policies with science, extend true care to our children and secure a healthier future for Texas.
Dr. Lourdes Asiain is a board-certified pediatrician with more than 20 years of clinical experience serving children and families in El Paso, Texas. She practices at Kern Place Pediatrics, where she provides general pediatric care with a specialized focus on obesity medicine, nutrition, and preventive health.
The post Opinion: Children with obesity deserve access to treatment, not stigma appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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