ADVOCACY TOOLKIT:
WIND AAP CPG Response Project
Project Overview: WIND’s Advocacy Team
In January 2023, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released updated Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Ob*sity, including pharmaceutical and/or surgical interventions. These guidelines not only contradict some earlier AAP statements on childhood weight management (2016), but also neglect to adequately address the immense harm and long-term (if not life-long) side effects of these types of interventions, especially at such young ages. The implementation of these guidelines could have an astounding and detrimental effect for both current youth and generations to come.
These guidelines uphold rampant, harmful, potentially even fatal weight bias in healthcare systems, family systems, and communities.
Organizations, national media outlets, practitioners and activists have come together in the months since, asking for the AAP to reconsider, rescind, or at the very least revise the CPG; to consult with Eating Disorder specialists, dietitians, therapists, community health workers, families, and activists; and/or acknowledge the gaps in research included and excluded in coming to the conclusions of these updated guidelines.
WIND’s Advocacy Team came together to continue building on statements that have already been made, to review the literature cited in the guidelines and that which wasn’t considered, collect an environmental scan of the conversations happening in reaction to these guidelines, and to ask for your support in bringing all of the above to the AAP committee, demanding change and encouraging engagement with the many communities in opposition.
Here you’ll find a summary of this work, presented on July 11, 2023 via webinar to the WIND community of practitioners, activists, students and interns. We have included:
WIND’s Research Review + Analysis
The WIND Advocacy Team believed it was important to not only read through the AAP’s updated Clinical Practice Guideline, but also to gain a clear understanding of the outlined recommendations, including the evidence cited that supported the need to evaluate and treat children and adolescents with obesity.
A detailed index of the 800+ citations was created by our team, so those interested could sort studies by author(s), academic journal, publication year, and title. This information could be helpful in noting trends (e.g. who and what is being used as evidence), identifying key “decision makers” (e.g. funders and publishers), and allowing people to more easily select references for further review and critique.
The index, which is linked below, also includes relevant studies that were excluded from the CPG reference list because they either did not meet inclusion criteria (e.g. weight-neutral and/or HAES®-aligned studies) or they were published after the CPG was finalized.
Click below to view the index put together by the WIND Advocacy Team, and to review additional relevant studies that were excluded from the AAP’s updated CPG in this publication.
In addition to creating the Reference Index, the WIND Advocacy Team felt it was important to take a deeper look and review the interpretation of a selected number of studies, their methodology, and results without depending on the abstract to accurately summarize the findings. Reference studies were selected using a key word search that aligned with what the group wanted to critique, which included but not limited to weight stigma, bariatric surgery, dieting/dietary restraint, and eating disorders. The group also reviewed studies that were relevant to the CPG but were not included for the reasons listed above. Due to the small number of reviewers, the team was able to conduct 31 study reviews for out of the 55 originally identified.
In our webinar on July 11, 2023 (replay available), we encouraged folks to read these reviews, and continue the process with templates and best practices provided. Click below to view the studies that were reviewed as part of this process.
Community Impact Statements
The Weight-Inclusive Community’s Response
A collection of various articles, opposition statements, podcasts and more, all in response to the 2023 AAP Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Ob*sity.
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News Outlets & Social Media
A list of articles and statements posted on various platforms including national news outlets and social media.
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Organizational Statements
A collection of letters, statements, and calls to action posted by various professional organizations and non-profits.
Sign WIND’s Letter to AAP
WIND’s main concerns with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Ob*sity:
Mentions that there are a variety of factors that impact one's weight but then only focuses on eating & physical activity habits.
Recommends restricting caloric intake (i.e. dieting) in children and adolescents which is one of the strongest predictors for developing an eating disorder.
Highlights weight stigma but then goes on to propose interventions that contribute to weight stigma & weight bias.
Aims to establish evidence-based treatment guidelines but excluded relevant research studies because they did not result in weight loss.
Thank you to the primary
WIND Response Project Contributors
This grassroots advocacy was initiated by the WIND team but led by our community.
Please join us in acknowledging and thanking the folks who contributed significant time, resources, and energy to this project:
Patrilie Hernandez, Project Leader
Dawn Lundin, Letter Editor
Ragen Chastain
Anna Miller
Blair Hayes
Ashley Munro
Dr. Theresa Melito-Conners
Sara Parsons
Lindsay Bailey
Katelyn Barker
Brittany Peterson
Maggie Hensley
Chelsea Chandler
Christine Allenson
Brooke Seibert
Emily Oschmann
Amanda Butterfield
Kathleen Castrejon
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