The transition into adulthood is characterized by physical and psychosocial changes and far-reaching decisions that are required from adolescents. In particular, young people with obesity face challenges at this stage as they experience stigmatism and discrimination related to their disease which can lead to limited prospects further in life (e.g. employment or social relationships). Furthermore, obese adolescents must take on the responsibility for their therapy as they transition from pediatric to adult health care systems. Adult health care structures lack obesity specific care (as in pediatric stuctures) therefore a high number of specialists are involved in the complex treatment of the young adults with obesity e.g. general practitioners, endocrinologists, orthopedics, psychotherapists and rehabilitation specialists. The continuity of treatment is often interrupted when transitioning from adolescent to adults services and the adolescents are undertreated during this time.

The overall target of this S3-guideline for obesity is to structure and to standardize the transition process from pediatric to adult care based on available evidence. The continuity of interprofessional care should be guarantee throughout the life span of adolescent into adulthood.

This project is funded by the Innovation Fund (innovations Fond) and will be realized as a Consortium Projekt. The Centre for Social- Pediatric medicine (CC17) and the Institute for Clinical Nursing Ccience (CC01) represent the Charité. Additional partners in this project are the research unit for Medical Psychology at the Medizinische HochschuleHannover and the Institute for Evidence in edicine from the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg. The guideline is registered at the AWMF (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften).