Adolescent obesity care is increasingly shifting towards medical interventions such as bariatric surgery and GLP-1 medications (e.g., Ozempic and Wegovy). While these treatments offer promising clinical outcomes, their use in underage populations raises complex social, cultural, and ethical questions. WEIGHYOUTH investigates how these interventions are reshaping obesity care in Finland. The project examines changing distributions of responsibility among individuals, families, healthcare and society, as well as cultural narratives of obesity, social representations, and ethical concerns.The datasets include interviews with adolescents, their parents, and pediatric endocrinologists, as well as a national survey. The data are analyzed using qualitative methods and logistic regression.WEIGHYOUTH produces new knowledge to support ethically sound, socially responsive, and youth-sensitive healthcare practices in Finland and beyond.

2026

2030