Childhood Obesity: Solutions to a Growing Problem

Abstract

Common knowledge to healthcare professionals and laymen alike, obesity has reached epidemic proportions in both the adult and juvenile populations. While each constitutes serious implications for health, childhood obesity is of particular significance due to the relatively fragile state of children's physical and psychological development. Intense research in this field has identified numerous causative factors; however, the incidence of childhood obesity continues to rise, further endangering the health of future generations. In the following chapter key risks associated with childhood obesity are discussed, accompanied with an overview of the obesogenic environment contributing to weight gain in America. The interplay between various factors associated with childhood obesity is investigated, augmented by the development of a global childhood obesity correlation model. With a cohesive understanding of the current state of childhood obesity, established recommendations and future directions, centered on weight loss-specific dietary and exercise regimens pertinent to healthcare professionals, are further discussed.