Despite the fact that the prevalence of obesity in early childhood has been stable and is no longer increasing in many developed and industrialized countries, the incidence of both obesity and full-blown metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents is still very high. Obesity is a major disease burden in all societies and needs to be prevented early in life. New approaches are eagerly sought and absolutely necessary. This book presents a comprehensive and state-of-the-art summary of current and new knowledge in this critical field. Crucial issues such as nutrition and genetics are described in detail. In addition, new ideas such as e-health and the consequences of urban living conditions are explored. Last but not least, modern treatment concepts and prevention even at an early age are competently discussed. Offering a valuable update on new developments in obesity research and the treatment in children and adolescents, this book is essential reading for all pediatricians and health-care professionals who look after young patients on a regular basis.

Understanding the relationship between energy balance and obesity is essential to develop effective prevention programs and policies. The International Agency for Research on Cancer convened a Working Group of world-leading experts in December 2015 to review the evidence regarding energy balance and obesity, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries, and to consider the following scientific questions: (i) Are the drivers of the obesity epidemic related only to energy excess and/or do specific foods or nutrients play a major role in this epidemic? (ii) What are the factors that modulate these associations? (iii) Which types of data and/or studies will further improve our understanding? This book provides summaries of the evidence from the literature as well as the Working Group's conclusions and recommendations to tackle the global epidemic of obesity.

Children's health has made tremendous strides over the past century. In general, life expectancy has increased by more than thirty years since 1900 and much of this improvement is due to the reduction of infant and early childhood mortality. Given this trajectory toward a healthier childhood, we begin the 21st-century with a shocking developmentâ€"an epidemic of obesity in children and youth. The increased number of obese children throughout the U.S. during the past 25 years has led policymakers to rank it as one of the most critical public health threats of the 21st-century. Preventing Childhood Obesity provides a broad-based examination of the nature, extent, and consequences of obesity in U.S. children and youth, including the social, environmental, medical, and dietary factors responsible for its increased prevalence. The book also offers a prevention-oriented action plan that identifies the most promising array of short-term and longer-term interventions, as well as recommendations for the roles and responsibilities of numerous stakeholders in various sectors of society to reduce its future occurrence. Preventing Childhood Obesity explores the underlying causes of this serious health problem and the actions needed to initiate, support, and sustain the societal and lifestyle changes that can reverse the trend among our children and youth.

Obesity in childhood and adolescence has reached epidemic proportions in all industrialized countries around the world. Its impact on individual lives as well as on health economics has to be recognized by physicians and the public alike. Among the most common consequences of obesity in the adolescent are hypertension, dyslipidemia, back pain and psychosocial problems. Therapeutic strategies include psychological and family therapy, lifestyle/behavior modification and nutrition education. The role of regular exercise and exercise programs is emphasized. Surgical procedures and drugs used in adult obesity are still not generally recommended for obese adolescents. This book aims to increase physicians knowledge and understanding of obesity in childhood and adolescence as well as to further public awareness of the health burden and economic dimension of obesity at a young age. Several chapters deliver insights into the basic understanding of which factors contribute to or prevent the development of overweight and obesity in young people. Other contributions provide tools for the clinician to manage the care of the child and adolescent with overweight/obesity. In addition, knowledge from the latest scientific studies on the molecular biology of obesity is also presented.

Pt. 1. Social and behavioral development :; Risk factors for obesity in early human development /; John Worobey --; Role of physical activity in obesity prevention /; James M. Pivarnik --; Childhood overweight and academic achievement /; Sara Gable, Jnnifer L. Krull, Arathi Srikanta --; Adiposiy and internalizing problems: infancy to middle childhood /; Robert H. Bradley, Renate Houts, Phillip R. Nader, Marion O'Brien, Jay Belsky, and Robert Crosnoe --; Food marketing goes online: A content analysis of web sites for children /; Elizabeth S. Moore --; Families and obesity: a family process approach to obesity in adolescents /; Matthew P. Thorpe, Randal D. Day ;; Pt. 2. Individual differeces and ethnic variation :; Responding to the epidemic of American Indian and Alaska Native childhood obesity /; Paul Spicer, Kelly Moore --; Obesity in African Americans and Latino Americans /; Helen D. Pratt, Manmohan Kamboj, Robin Joseph ;; Pt. 3. Prevention and intervention :; Managing the overweight child /; Ihuoma Eneli, Karah Daniels Mantinan --; Parents as the primary target for healthy eating among young children /; Mildred A. Horodynski, Kami J. Silk, Michelle Henry --; Surgical treatment for obesity /; Jeff M. Gauvin --; Ethical considerations related to obesity intervention /; Leonard M. Fleck, Karen A. Petersmarck.

This open access book examines health trajectories and health transitions at different stages of the life course, including childhood, adulthood and later life. It provides findings that assess the role of biological and social transitions on health status over time. The essays examine a wide range of health issues, including the consequences of military service on body mass index, childhood obesity and cardiovascular health, socio-economic inequalities in preventive health care use, depression and anxiety during the child rearing period, health trajectories and transitions in people with cystic fibrosis and oral health over the life course. The book addresses theoretical, empirical and methodological issues as well as examines different national contexts, which help to identify factors of vulnerability and potential resources that support resilience available for specific groups and/or populations. Health reflects the ability of individuals to adapt to their social environment. This book analyzes health as a dynamic experience. It examines how different aspects of individual health unfold over time as a result of aging but also in relation to changing socioeconomic conditions. It also offers readers potential insights into public policies that affect the health status of a population.