Physician counseling to prevent overweight in children and adolescents: American College of Preventive Medicine position statement.

The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) this position statement is intended to guide physicians in counseling children and adolescents to prevent overweight. Rigorous reviews of the published literature have found insufficient evidence to permit the development of formal recommendations by the US Preventive Services Task Force and others. However, numerous public health and physician organizations have developed recommendations on the basis of expert opinion, professional judgment, and the available scientific evidence. This article presents the position of the ACPM in light of these ambiguities. The ACPM will review and modify its recommendations as new scientific evidence emerges.