title: [Obesity prevention, how?].
abstract: Obesity prevention, aims both at reducing the body mass index (BMI) of the population but also at preventing worsening of obesity in most obese patients. To achieve this, it is necessary to obtain population level lasting change behavior by exploiting the different levers of individual behavior, but also environmental and societal. Universal prevention is aimed at all members of the community, it must rely on all stakeholders: the state (legislation information campaigns), local authorities (planning), and the middle school work. Selective prevention is aimed at groups or individuals at high risk such as low social classes, more affected by severe obesity. These groups can be achieved through actions of prevention and health if these actions are real actions of community health, incorporating the values and representations of the community, building on existing networks, and strengthening social links between individuals. Targeted prevention is for people who have weight problems and those who have a high risk of illness related to overweight. In this case the aim is to avoid a further increase in weight gain, prevent consequences of obesity, prevent weight regain among those who have lost weight. Physicians have a vital role to play in raising awareness and support of patients for whom they remain the major health. referent Obesity can become a model for a new approach to medicine, based on work in synergy with the social actors and social and health care.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine, service de nutrition, 59045 Lille cedex, France. mromon@univ-lille2.fr
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romon
mesh_terms: D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods