title: Challenges in finding and measuring behavioural determinants of childhood obesity in Europe.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Childhood obesity is an important concern for child health. However, despite widespread concern about the increase in childhood obesity, its causes are not monitored systematically in Europe. In 2007, the Scientific Platform Project on Lifestyle Determinants of Obesity identified routine data sources nationally available in European countries to measure childhood obesity. This work was revisited in 2014 to monitor any progress made.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2007, a literature review and project discussion resulted in a list of desirable indicators that could be collected in Europe to describe child populations at risk of overweight and obesity. Participants from EU member states, the EEA, Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey set out to discover which countries collected these indicators. Eight years later, a literature search sought to establish if the surveillance of children's nutrition and physical activity behaviour had changed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2007, no countries collected all variables for all ages, leading to major gaps in knowledge. A literature search carried out in 2014 suggests that this is unchanged. There remains inconsistency of data surveillance in Europe, and disagreement on which age groups to collect data from or how to define obesity and overweight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a lack of consistent data collection on upstream influences on obesity. The true causes of the childhood obesity epidemic remain undiscovered, and the ability of research to identify effective prevention and treatment methods is compromised.
authors: Department of International Health, School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands ; School of Public Policy and Professional Practice, Chancellor's Building, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG UK.
authors: Denise
authors: D
authors: Alexander
authors: Nordic School of Public Health, Box 12133, 402 42 Gothenburg, Sweden ; School of Public Policy and Professional Practice, Chancellor's Building, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG UK.
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Rigby
authors: S. Elia Hospital, Caltanissetta, Italy ; Centro per la Formazione Permanente e l'Aggiornamento del Personale del Servizio Sanitario (CeFPAS), Caltanissetta, Italy.
authors: Pasquale
authors: P
authors: Di Mattia
authors: Research Association Public Health Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, Technische Universität Dresden, Fiedlerstraße 33, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors: Anja
authors: A
authors: Zscheppang
keywords: Childhood; Data; Europe; Obesity; Surveillance