Summary

Obesity has become the number one health threat to Americans, but the incidence is most tragic for our children and teenagers. Nearly 1 in every 7 boys and girls is obese and far more are overweight. Most developed countries including the United Kingdom and Canada are seeing similar rates. In these volumes, a cross-disciplinary team of experts presents what we know and are learning about the causes of youth obesity, its affects, solutionfs, and future prevention. Contributors focus on the newest research from fields including pediatrics, genetics, nursing, nutritional science, surgery, psychology, advertising, geography, and landscape architecture. Obesity among our young has grown to epidemic proportions and sets our young up for a lifetime of phusical illness including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, as well as psychological disorders from anxiety to depression and chronic stress. Yet the causes and solutions are not as easy to understand and address as we might think.

Topics addressed in these volumes include obesity from infancy across the life span, how the brain is affected by obesity, medical outcomes, medication and obesity, nutrition and the affect of supersized foods, the role of the media and built environments. Social disparities, family obesity, the role of television and video games, effective weight-loss programs, bariatric surgery, and ethical issues are also among chapter topics.