'That scares me': New childhood obesity guidelines still face a long road to consensus

Unlike earlier, more general guidance that recommended a progression of treatment through various stages, the new guidelines say there shouldn't be "watchful waiting." They call for early diagnosis, intense counseling, and two new aggressive options for children with obesity. Now that experts have had a couple of months to comb through the document, one thing is clear: There is still no consensus on how best to approach obesity in children. Read more.

By Isabella Cueto and Theresa Gaffney

Kayana Szymczak for STAT

Carrying the torch of his slain brother, a Chicago ER doctor struggles against the violence around him

Health disparities — life expectancies for Black men in Chicago are 10 years lower than those for white men — are not just the stuff of dry statistics and studies for ER physician Abdullah Hassan Pratt; they are his life. In 2012, his older brother Rashad died at age 28, gunned down just a few hundred feet from the family home. "That was the turning point for me," Pratt said. "I decided I wasn't just going to be a good doctor, but a great one." Read more.

By Usha Lee McFarling

Ambar Castillo/STAT

Not the geek squad: How one Boston hospital helps patients conquer language barriers — and their smartphones

A "digital access coordinator" program helps train patients in digital health tools like electronic health records, online registration forms, and home blood pressure cuffs. The coordinators help prepare patients for virtual visits, explain the ins and outs of video calls, and take note of any tech or health patient concerns providers might need to know. Generally speaking, they're the frontline support for all things tech. Read more.

By Ambar Castillo

More great reads from STAT this week

Methadone doses haven't kept up in the age of fentanyl. A new rule aims to help
Former surgeon general Jerome Adams tries to outrun the shadow of the president he served
Opinion: There is no epidemic of autism. It's an epidemic of need
Cerebral and other telehealth startups face new legal and regulatory challenges over ad models
Social media is part of a 'self-perpetuating cycle of risk' for eating disorders and negative body image, per study
Opinion: Living kidney donors rely on a promise to protect our future health. We're scared it will go away