title: Addressing Childhood Obesity: Opportunities for Prevention.
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.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 301B, S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors: Callie L
authors: CL
authors: Brown
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
authors: Elizabeth E
authors: EE
authors: Halvorson
authors: 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.
authors: Gail M
authors: GM
authors: Cohen
authors: 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.
authors: Suzanne
authors: S
authors: Lazorick
authors: 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.
authors: Joseph A
authors: JA
authors: Skelton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Etiology; Genetics; Obesity; Overweight; Pediatric; Prevention; Risk factors