Addressing Childhood Obesity: Opportunities for Prevention

Callie L Brown; Elizabeth E Halvorson; Gail M Cohen; Suzanne Lazorick; Joseph A Skelton

doi:10.1016/j.pcl.2015.05.013

Addressing Childhood Obesity: Opportunities for Prevention

Pediatr Clin North Am. 2015 Oct;62(5):1241-61. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2015.05.013. Epub 2015 Jul 16.

Authors

Callie L Brown¹, Elizabeth E Halvorson², Gail M Cohen³, Suzanne Lazorick⁴, Joseph A Skelton⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 301B, S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
² Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
³ Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA; Brenner FIT (Families in Training) Program, Brenner Children's Hospital, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA; Department of Public Health, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA.
⁵ Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA; Brenner FIT (Families in Training) Program, Brenner Children's Hospital, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA; Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. Electronic address: jskelton@wakehealth.edu.

Abstract

The overweight and obesity epidemic among children and adolescents in the United States continues to worsen, with notable racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities. Risk factors for pediatric obesity include genetics; environmental and neighborhood factors; increased intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), fast-food, and processed snacks; decreased physical activity; shorter sleep duration; and increased personal, prenatal, or family stress. Pediatricians can help prevent obesity by measuring body mass index at least yearly and providing age- and development-appropriate anticipatory guidance to families. Public policies and environmental interventions aim to make it easier for children to make healthy nutrition and physical activity choices. Interventions focused on family habits and parenting strategies have also been successful at preventing or treating childhood obesity.

Keywords: Etiology; Genetics; Obesity; Overweight; Pediatric; Prevention; Risk factors.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Body Weight
Child
Humans
Pediatric Obesity / etiology
Pediatric Obesity / prevention & control*
Risk Factors

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding