OBESITY IN ADOLESCENCE: AN EXPANDED APPROACH TO HEALTH FAMILY PROGRAM

Introduction: Eating habits and physical activity have profoundly changed in recent decades. The number of obese individuals, and especially obese adolescents, has grown alarmingly placing the obesity epidemic condition as a serious public health problem. The risk of obese adolescents becoming obese adults is very high and so the problem must be addressed from the outset. Health professionals working in Primary Care must have the proper training to deal comprehensively and effectively with the problem, considering that the Overweight consequences may reflect serious complications later in adult life. Objectives: To implement an expanded approach to obesity in adolescence. Promote accession of adolescents and their families to comprehensive care. Coordinate the adolescent care in the health system. Stimulate change of lifestyle with regular physical activity and eating habits. Method: Clinical case in the Family Health Unit Jardim Salvador in the city of Petrópolis / RJ Results and conclusions: Adolescent obesity is a difficult disease to approach, but its fight has extreme importance in this individuals’ life stage. The need for expansion and improvement of public policies aimed at improving the nutritional status of individuals was observed, as well as the training of professionals who deal with such patients.