Childhood obesity prevention: compelling challenge of the twenty‐first century

There has been a worldwide increase in the prevalence of children who are obese that is rapidly reaching epidemic proportions. These obese children have associated significant co‐morbidities. In the past 30 years the proportion of children in the United States who are obese or overweight has tripled; 15%, or approximately nine million, are obese. Ethnic minority communities with lower socioeconomic status have the highest percentage of children who are obese or overweight. Communities are slow to institute effective policies and protocols for prevention. Parents, schools and physicians are undereducated about the prevention and treatment of this disease process. Prevention will require upgrading of school health education, teacher educators and medical curricula. It must begin early in childhood by addressing the cognitive, psychomotor and social–emotional domains. The aim of this review is to educate stakeholders on the need to cooperate and coordinate with each other to create community‐based treatment protocols.