Childhood Obesity: Practical Considerations for Prevention and Management

Diabetes Spectrum Volume 20, Number 3, 2007 Childhood obesity is the greatest challenge to child health in the 21st century. In 2006, the prevalence of obesity in children reached 17% in the United States. If current trends remain unchanged, the prevalence of childhood obesity is expected to reach 20% by 2010.1 Although obesity in children is multifaceted, little doubt remains that the factors driving this phenomenon include rapid changes in the modern food and activity environment of children superimposed onto genetic and metabolic predispositions for weight gain.2 Current evidence suggests that insulin resistance may be both a cause and an effect of childhood obesity and may even be induced by prenatal factors,3 race,4 poverty, geography, Childhood Obesity: Practical Considerations for Prevention and Management Treating obesity in the adult, and even more so in the pediatric, population can be a daunting and difficult task. Health care providers need to take a proactive role when treating children and focus on prevention of obesity rather than waiting until the condition exists. Obesity can lead to several complications and comorbidities; this article will address how to make an appropriate and thorough assessment of a child’s lifestyle and behaviors and how to implement interventions that will result in improved health. In Brief