The Real Reason Your Kid Can’t Lose Weight (EP 94)
I sat down with pediatric surgeon Dr. Evan Nadler to talk childhood obesity, why it is not a moral failure, and what actually works when diet and willpower have done absolutely nothing but make everyone feel like crap.
We dug into one of the most emotional topics out there: kids, weight, and the mess of shame, blame, and bad advice wrapped around childhood obesity. Dr. Evan Nadler breaks down why obesity is a chronic disease driven heavily by genetics and epigenetics, why kids are not “choosing” this, and why telling them to just move more and eat less is lazy, outdated nonsense that doesn’t work for most adults either.
We also got real about BMI as a screening tool, how parental health and pregnancy weight gain affect a child’s long-term risk, and why the body fights to defend its weight even when you’re doing “all the right things.” From GLP‑1 meds like semaglutide to bariatric surgery in teens, Dr. Nadler walks through what’s actually available, what’s approved for kids, why it’s not the “easy way out,” and how early treatment can prevent a lifetime of metabolic damage.
Chapters
- 00:23 Welcome to My Unhealthy Podcast
- 01:23 Understanding Childhood Obesity
- 05:39 The Role of Genetics and Environment
- 13:49 Defining Obesity and BMI
- 18:14 The Complexities of Treatment
- 23:43 Exploring Bariatric Surgery
- 30:05 Insurance and Bariatric Surgery Criteria
- 34:30 The Biological Nature of Obesity
- 40:25 Understanding the Challenges Ahead
- 46:44 Wrapping Up the Discussion
Guest: Evan Nadler, MD
- Website: https://www.obesityexplained.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanpnadler
Companies / Vendors / Products Mentioned
- Ozempic (semaglutide): https://www.ozempic.com
- Wegovy (semaglutide): https://www.wegovy.com
- Mounjaro: https://www.mounjaro.com
- Zepbound: https://zepbound.lilly.com
- Eli Lilly (maker of Mounjaro/Zepbound and oral GLP‑1): https://www.lilly.com
- Oral Wegovy: https://www.novonordisk.com/products/obesity.html
- Children’s National Hospital: https://www.childrensnational.org
- National Institutes of Health (NIH): https://www.nih.gov
- HHS (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services): https://www.hhs.gov
=== MUSIC LICENSE CERTIFICATE: Envato Elements Item
- Item Title: Healthy Eating
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- Author Username: CrazyTunes
- Licensee: Marvin Bee
- Registered Project Name: Unhealthy Podcast
- License Date: January 3rd, 2026
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=== About the Unhealthy Podcast
Hosted by Marvin Bee (Uncle Marv), the Unhealthy Podcast dives into real conversations about health, wellness, and everyday habits that impact how we live, work, and age. From nutrition myths to stress management and tech-life balance, Uncle Marv brings humor, insight, and honesty to every episode.
- Visit our website: https://www.unhealthypodcast.com/
- Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamunclemarv
- Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marvinbee/
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Childhood Obesity Expert
Evan P. Nadler MD served as Co-Director of the Children’s National Obesity Programs and Director of the Child and Adolescent Weight Loss Surgery Program at Children’s National Hospital from 2009 until 2023. He was also a tenured Associate Professor of Surgery, and Pediatrics, at The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences and continues there as an Adjunct Associate Professor. His current pursuits include pediatric obesity treatment program development, authoring a book on obesity, and educating the public about obesity via his YouTube channel, website, and media appearances. Dr. Nadler is an international leader in the field of child and adolescent obesity, has authored multiple publications and textbook chapters on the topic of pediatric bariatric surgery, and was one of the founding members of the Childhood Obesity Committee of the American Pediatric Surgery Association.
