title: Losing the war against obesity: the need for a developmental perspective.
abstract: Developed countries are struggling to control epidemics of obesity and related chronic diseases; thus, we can expect only limited success from applying the current approaches to the developing world, which is experiencing an alarming increase in such disorders. This failure results in part from the fact that our focus on adult life-styles, although important, ignores data that suggest that biological and cultural factors operating early in life affect adult health status. To stem the rising obesity burden in developing countries, scientists and policy-makers must address obesity-promoting factors from early development to adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. pd.gluckman@auckland.ac.nz
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Gluckman
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zimmet
authors.forename: Terrence
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Forrester
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D004194:Disease; D048788:Growth and Development; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010465:Perception