Obesity research and the forgotten African American child.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Obesity/overweight is the most prevalent nutritional problem in adult and pediatric populations in the United States. We review up-to-date data on obesity in general, with emphasis on research findings in children. We also focus on non-Hispanic Blacks, an ethnic group that is relatively under-researched, despite having higher rates of obesity than Whites. METHODS An electronic search of MEDLINE/ PubMed and several other bibliographic databases, including JSTOR, EBSCO, and Pro-Quest, was conducted, and all relevant articles in English were retrieved. RESULTS Risk factors for childhood obesity are attributable to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Literature has focused on the general population and genetic transmission from parents to children. Researchers agree that although genetics plays a major role, the risk of a child becoming obese is highly correlated with environment, as well. Relatively little research has been conducted to delineate obesity risk factors among Blacks, and virtually nothing is known on the determinants of obesity and obesity phenotype acquisition in the Black child. CONCLUSIONS Genetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of childhood obesity. Despite the rich body of work on the topic, data that specifically address childhood obesity in Blacks are scanty. We need more information on childhood obesity in Blacks so that evidence-based prevention measures can be formulated to reduce the high prevalence of obesity in that population.