title: Childhood obesity.
abstract: In March 2004 a group of 65 physicians and other health professionals representing nine countries on four continents convened in Israel to discuss the widespread public health crisis in childhood obesity. Their aim was to explore the available evidence and develop a consensus on the way forward. The process was rigorous, although time and resources did not permit the development of formal evidence-based guidelines. In the months before meeting, participants were allocated to seven groups covering prevalence, causes, risks, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and psychology. Through electronic communication each group selected the key issues for their area, searched the literature, and developed a draft document. Over the 3-d meeting, these papers were debated and finalized by each group before presenting to the full group for further discussion and agreement. In developing a consensus statement, this international group has presented the evidence, developed recommendations, and provided a platform aimed toward future corrective action and ongoing debate in the international community.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Schneider Children's Hospital, 269-01 76th Avenue, New Hyde Park, New York 11040, USA. pspeiser@lij.edu
authors.forename: Phyllis W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Speiser
authors.forename: Mary C J
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rudolf
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Anhalt
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Camacho-Hubner
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiarelli
authors.forename: Alon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eliakim
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Freemark
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gruters
authors.forename: Eli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hershkovitz
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iughetti
authors.forename: Heiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krude
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Latzer
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Lustig
authors.forename: Ora Hirsch
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Pescovitz
authors.forename: Orit
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pinhas-Hamiel
authors.forename: Alan D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Rogol
authors.forename: Shlomit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shalitin
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sultan
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Pnina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vardi
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Werther
authors.forename: Zvi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zadik
authors.forename: Nehama
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zuckerman-Levin
authors.forename: Zeev
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hochberg
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy