Young people with obesity should receive intensive behavioral counseling, according to a major health agency.

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) conducted a systematic review of various types of weight management interventions — including behavioral counseling and prescription medications — for kids and teens aged 6 and older.

The official recommendation was published in JAMA on Tuesday.

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The task force stated that people in this age group with a high BMI (95% or greater) should receive at least 26 hours of “comprehensive, intensive behavioral interventions.”

“The USPSTF concludes with moderate certainty that providing or referring children and adolescents 6 years or older with a high BMI to comprehensive, intensive behavioral interventions has a moderate net benefit,” the recommendation stated. 

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“Therefore, clinicians should provide those with a high BMI with such interventions or refer them to appropriate health care professionals.”

Approximately 19.7% of U.S. children and adolescents between 2 and 19 years of age have a body mass index (BMI) at or above 95%, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Incorporating regular physical activity is a core component of the recommended behavioral interventions. (iStock)

BMIs tend to rise with age and in certain ethnic groups, including Hispanic/Latino, Native American/Alaska Native and non-Hispanic Black children and adolescents.

Youth from lower-income families are also more likely to have obesity, per the CDC.

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While BMI is an “imperfect measure” of obesity, the task force noted that most children with a BMI above 95% will have obesity, while few children with a BMI below 85% will fall in the obese category.

‘A gateway disease’

Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert, is not affiliated with the USPSTF, but offered his reaction to the new guidance.

“This recommendation is not just a guideline; it’s a call to action,” he told Fox News Digital.

Obesity can be seen as a “gateway disease” linked to many other non-infectious, age-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and even certain cancers, a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)

“Early recognition and intervention are critical to curbing a potential lifetime of health problems.” 

Obesity can be seen as a “gateway disease,” according to Osborn, linked to many other non-infectious, age-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and even certain cancers. 

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Osborn agreed that the recommended behavioral interventions are “vital” in helping young individuals adopt healthier lifestyles. 

“These interventions focus on supervised physical activity (supplanting mobile phone usage with structured exercise), healthy eating education and behavior change techniques,” he said.

In addition to behavioral changes, the doctor recommends medications like GLP-I agonists — such as Ozempic — as a “necessary boost” to kick-start weight loss.  (Getty Images)

In addition to behavioral changes, Osborn recommends incorporating medications like GLP-I agonists — such as Ozempic — as a “necessary boost” to kick-start weight loss. 

“These medications can be particularly beneficial when behavioral interventions alone do not suffice, helping adolescents gain the momentum needed to adopt and maintain healthier lifestyles,” Osborn said.

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“Just as we once revolutionized public health by combating infections, we must now focus on preventing and managing obesity to stave off a cascade of future diseases.”

Breaking up is hard to do, especially when it comes to a favorite television show, a study found.

When the long-running Australian soap opera series “Neighbours” was canceled after 37 years, there was considerable uproar from its loyal fans.

Surveyed viewers said they experienced emotions of grief as if they had lost a good friend.

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Dr. Adam Gerace, a senior psychology lecturer at Central Queensland University in Australia, launched the study to better understand the factors that stirred up the fans’ raw emotions.

“We often feel a sense of loss when our favorite television series ends because we form relationships with our favorite characters,” Gerace told Fox News Digital.

“When a series ends or a [favorite] character dies, people often report feeling sadness and disbelief, almost as if an important relationship is ending in their lives.”

The research was published in the journal PLOS One on June 12.

Understanding ‘parasocial relationships’ 

Psychologists refer to this phenomenon — in which viewers develop a one-sided connection with the characters in their favorite show — as a “parasocial relationship.”

In previous studies, researchers found that the intensity of the parasocial relationship is the strongest predictor of breakup distress. 

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Gerace, the study author, recruited fans of “Neighbours” who lived in Australia and the U.K. to share how they felt that the series was coming to a close.

“I surveyed fans about their feelings of loss and sadness, their reasons for watching the series, how they felt about their [favorite] characters, and to what extent they felt they were able to commemorate the end of this series,” he told Fox News Digital.

The cast of “Neighbours” are shown attending the finale event on June 29, 2022, in Melbourne, Australia.  (Getty Images)

Of the 1,289 respondents who answered the survey, 76% were female, with a mean age of 45.

Ninety percent of them viewed an average of five episodes a week. The majority watched the show alone. 

“Fans who experienced greater sadness, disbelief and downheartedness were those who were committed to the series,” Gerace said.

“We often feel a sense of loss when our favorite television series ends because we form relationships with our favorite characters.”

Despite feeling shocked that the series ended, the viewers said they felt grateful for having had the series in their lives.

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“They watched it for entertainment and excitement, which makes sense given that it’s a drama serial or soap opera, as well as to think about social issues and be exposed to lifestyles and situations they might not encounter in the everyday world,” he added.

Those who developed stronger connections with their favorite characters experienced more grief and a greater sense of loss.

A ‘virtual friend group’

“The study captures the effects I would expect from regular viewers of a long-running series,” Dr. Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center in Newport Beach, California, told Fox Digital News.

Rutledge was not involved in the study.

Streaming now allows people to revisit shows that have ended, so they can experience the same comfort of seeing “old friends,” especially during difficult times, an expert said. (iStock)

Shows like “Neighbours” create a “virtual friend group,” she said — similar to the ensemble casts in such shows as “Friends,” “The Office” and “Cheers” and how fans felt when those shows came to a close.

“Some people find a show … more gratifying than an unsatisfactory job or unreliable friendship.”

Gerace echoed that sentiment, noting that the feelings of sadness and loss that these viewers felt are likely to be similar for other series, including TV shows, movies and books.

“So, if you felt sad and downhearted at the end of ‘Lost’ or ‘Game of Thrones’ or are dreading the end of ‘Yellowstone,’ it’s perfectly understandable,” he said.

Positive effects of parasocial relationships

“Most studies support the positive effects of parasocial relationships in terms of positive emotions, belonging, mindset and social skills,” Rutledge pointed out in an email.

Streaming also now allows people to revisit shows that have ended, so they can experience the same comfort of seeing “old friends,” especially during difficult times, she continued.

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“During the social isolation of the pandemic, ‘The Office’ and ‘Friends’ were at the top of the most-streamed lists because they provided a sense of belonging and connection, decreasing loneliness,” Rutledge added.

Many shows aren’t only entertaining, but can also help people navigate their own lives.

Many shows aren’t only entertaining, but can also help people navigate their own lives, a psychologist said. (iStock)

“Viewers can find meaning and gain insights from the storylines and relationships that they find applicable to their own lives, such as a better understanding of their own emotions or how to handle certain challenges and life choices,” Rutledge said.

“Some people find a show … more gratifying than an unsatisfactory job or unreliable friendship.”

Viewers’ reactions to a show’s cancellation often depend on their individual circumstances.

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“Some parasocial relationships are directly linked to characters, where someone identifies strongly with a character and experiences the show through them, while others have a sense of immersion in the show without the loss of self,” Rutledge said.

The study has several limitations, Gerace acknowledged. 

“Thinking about what the show meant and appreciating how it contributed positively to your life can provide some perspective and acceptance,” a psychologist advised. (iStock)

Many who completed the survey described themselves as “big fans” of the show, and the research did not assess how their sense of grief changed over time.

“My sample did consist of viewers who were quite involved in the series. More casual viewers are likely to have experienced less negative reactions to the end of the series,” Gerace said.

Look for ‘new psychological adventures’

People should not feel embarrassed if they have feelings of loss or distress after their favorite show ends, the experts agreed.

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“Thinking about what the show meant and appreciating how it contributed positively to your life can provide some perspective and acceptance,” Rutledge said.

The study included viewers who were “quite involved” in the series and were more likely to have experienced negative emotions, the researcher said. (iStock)

One way to deal with the loss is to connect with other fans on social media to share that grief and trade favorite moments or characters.

“Nothing will be as rewarding as the old show in terms of comfort, familiarity and emotional engagement — however, pining for the past for too long isn’t healthy,” Rutledge said.

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“Appreciating the lost show and thinking about the things you valued can help a fan look for new characters and storylines that create new psychological adventures.”

A significant Alzheimer’s study is shedding new light on a protective gene that appears to delay the disease in those destined to develop it.

Researchers from two Mass General Brigham hospitals — Mass Eye and Ear and Massachusetts General Hospital — have been studying a large extended family in Colombia with multiple members who have the Paisa mutation, which predicts an extremely high genetic risk of developing early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Most people with the Paisa variant develop mild cognitive impairment in their 40s, develop dementia in their 50s and die from complications of dementia in their 60s, according to a press release.

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Among more than 1,000 high-risk family members, 27 of them who have one copy of a rare gene variant — the APOE3 gene, known as Christchurch — reported a delayed onset of symptoms.

On average, they developed signs of Alzheimer’s five years later than those who did not have the variant, the researchers found.

By comparison, the drugs currently available for Alzheimer’s slow the disease’s progression by only around six months.

The study findings, published Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine, could have important implications for drug development.

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This is a follow-up to a 2019 study in which a woman from the same family who had two copies of the protective APOE3 Christchurch variant did not experience any disease symptoms until her 70s — decades later than the average age of onset, 44.

Joseph F. Arboleda-Velasquez, M.D., PhD, an associate scientist at Mass Eye and Ear who worked on the study, is originally from Colombia, where he spent years studying that woman’s case as part of his medical training.

Imaging scans showed reduced signs of tau and amyloid plaques, the proteins that build up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. (iStock)

“It really took the world by storm, the Colombian woman who beat Alzheimer’s — it was an amazing discovery,” he told Fox News Digital.

“But also, we had to be very careful. Was it really true? Could it be reproduced? It would be amazing if we could develop treatments that replicate the effect of the Christchurch variant, but we didn’t have enough evidence.”

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“So, back then, we started this very extensive project of trying to find more individuals who also had Christchurch to see if they were also protected.”

In this latest study, researchers analyzed 1,077 descendants of the Colombian family, narrowing the focus to the 27 people who carried both the Paisa mutation and one copy of the protective Christchurch variant.

“This could really transform lives — not just of the individual, but at the population level.”

On average, these 27 family members began showing signs of cognitive impairment at age 52 — compared to age 47 for those without the Christchurch variant.

For two of the individuals, imaging scans showed reduced signs of tau and amyloid plaques, the proteins that build up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, the press release stated.

While the original woman might have been dismissed as a “one-time wonder,” said Arboleda-Velasquez, this new study provides more evidence that could help support building a drug development program.

A doctor points out evidence of Alzheimer’s disease on PET scans at the Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment at Brigham And Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.  (REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo)

“Now, instead of one person, we have 27 more men and women — some who work, some who are retired, some in rural areas, some in the city — who all have the Christchurch variant and are all protected,” he said.

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“And now we can move forward with trying to develop therapies that do exactly the same thing.”

He added, “This could really transform lives — not just of the individual, but at the population level.”

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The study did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged.

It analyzed a relatively small number of people carrying both the Paisa and Christchurch variants, all belonging to a single (albeit large) family. 

Researchers from two Mass General Brigham hospitals — Mass Eye and Ear and Massachusetts General Hospital — led the new study. (iStock)

Additional studies including larger, more diverse groups are needed to confirm the variant’s protective effect and determine the targets of potential treatments, researchers said.

Some experimental therapies are already being developed, Arboleda-Velasquez noted.

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“A lot of people were very intrigued by the initial Christchurch finding [in 2019], and now this is different,” he said. 

“This is a call to action — a call to make drugs that can leverage this discovery.”