For the first time in 15 years, the American Academy of Pediatrics has released recommendations on childhood obesity.

According to new US recommendations, obese children should be treated as soon as possible, including with medication and surgery.

The American Academy of Paediatrics presented its first recommendations about childhood obesity in 15 years on Monday.

In it, medical professionals issued a warning that delaying treatment for obesity could result in long-term health issues.

In the US, there are around 15 million young people who are fat.

The recommendations state that behavioral and lifestyle modifications ought to be the first line of defense against pediatric obesity, which is associated with major health conditions like type 2 Diabetes and high blood pressure.

The guidelines advise for the first time ever that medicine can be given to children as young as 12, and that weight loss surgery can be given to those as young as 13, but they also warn against delaying treatment in favor of waiting the problem out.