A Systematic Review of Community-Based Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs

In the past 30 years there has been a substantial rise in childhood obesity rates all over the world [1]. In specific terms the worldwide prevalence of overweight and obesity in childhood has increased from 4.2% in 1990 to 6.7% in 2010 and is expected to reach 9.1% in 2020 [2]. In 2010, 43 million children around the world were estimated to be overweight and obese with an additional 92 million at risk of becoming overweight [2]. In the United States, based on the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, 16.9% (95% CI, 15.4%-18.4%) of children and adolescents between 2 and 19 years were obese [3] These data imply that the problem of overweight and obesity is more severe in the United States.