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Obesity

Trends in underweight and obesity — scale of the problem

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A recent study reports that the global prevalence of paediatric obesity increased to >5% between 1975 and 2016. This increase occurred even as the prevalence of paediatric underweight decreased slightly but remained >8%. These average prevalence changes blur the remarkable regional variations in how prevalence has changed. There is a pressing need to address both underweight and obesity worldwide.

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Acknowledgements

J.A.Y. is a Commissioned Officer in the United States Public Health Service (PHS). The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the author and are not to be construed as reflecting the views of the PHS or the Department of Health and Human Services. J.A.Y. receives research support from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Intramural Research Program ZIA-HD-00641, from Zafgen Inc. for a clinical trial of pharmacotherapy to treat obesity and hyperphagia in patients with the Prader–Willi syndrome and from Rhythm Pharmaceuticals Inc. for support of sequencing of genes upstream of the melanocortin 4 receptor in the leptin signalling pathway and for a clinical trial of pharmacotherapy to treat obesity due to proximal leptin signalling pathway defects.

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  1. Division of Intramural Research, Section on Growth and Obesity, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Dr., Room 13330 MSC 1103, Bethesda, 208921103, Maryland, USA

    Jack A. Yanovski

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Correspondence to Jack A. Yanovski.

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Yanovski, J. Trends in underweight and obesity — scale of the problem. Nat Rev Endocrinol 14, 5–6 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2017.157

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