A NEW EPIDEMIC IN CHILDREN: PEDIATRIC OBESITY

Abstract

The prevalence of overweight among children has significantly increased in recent years and is associated with a significant burden at both individual and macro-social levels. Children and parents often do not recognise the problem and doctors are not prepared to deal with the challenges posed by childhood obesity. We conducted a review of the published data to date on the epidemiology, determinants, consequences, and intervention options for childhood overweight. The findings show that urgent action is needed to stop the rising prevalence of overweight children. Society needs to focus on determinants, parents need to understand the danger that obesity can have on their child in both the short- and long- term. Interventions need to focus on all determinants and to be tailored to each individual child so that obesity rates decrease and lead to a healthy society.