Childhood Obesity

Abstract

In the past 3 decades, rates of overweight and obesity among adults and children have substantially increased worldwide with all but the poorest countries now struggling with an obesity epidemic.¹ While childhood obesity rates may have plateaued in some US population subgroups, such as white individuals and those of higher socioeconomic status, overall rates remain stubbornly high and racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities appear to be widening.² The underlying causes of obesity and related noncommunicable diseases are modifiable risk factors; these risk factors represent major causes of socially determined health inequalities worldwide and make prevention of obesity a global health priority.³