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Epidemiology of Obesity in Children

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Adipose Tissue and Adipokines in Health and Disease

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Abstract

This chapter describes the classification of childhood obesity and the current prevalence and time trends of childhood obesity worldwide. Various references and standards have been used over the past two decades and at present to define overweight and obesity in children, although in general most are based on age-sex-specific body mass index (BMI) cut points (percentile or other cut points), and they can give different estimate of the rates.

Childhood obesity has become a global public health crisis, and the prevalence varied considerable across countries and is still growing in many parts of the world. The prevalence is highest in Western and industrialized countries, but still low in some developing countries. The prevalence also varies by age and gender within and across countries. The WHO Americas and Eastern Mediterranean Regions had higher prevalence of overweight and obesity (30–40 %) than the European (20–30 %), South East Asian, Western Pacific, and African Regions (10–20 % in the latter three). Forty-three million children (35 million in developing countries) were estimated to be overweight or obese; 92 million were at risk of overweight in 2010. The global overweight and obesity prevalence has increased dramatically since 1990, e.g., in preschool age children, from approximately 4 % in 1990 to 7 % in 2010. If this trend continues, the prevalence may reach 9 % or 60 million people in 2020. Vigorous efforts including national policies and programs are needed to combat the epidemic.

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Acknowledgement

This work is supported in part by research grants from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR, 1U54 HD070725-01) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK, R01DK81335-01A1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY), Farber Hall, Room 270, Buffalo, NY, 14214-8001, USA

    Youfa Wang M.D., M.S., Ph.D.

  2. Department of Medical Nutrition, Research Institute of Medical Nutrition, Graduate School of East-west Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, 446-701, South Korea

    Hyunjung Lim M.S., R.D., Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Youfa Wang M.D., M.S., Ph.D.
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  2. Hyunjung Lim M.S., R.D., Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Youfa Wang M.D., M.S., Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Giamila Fantuzzi

  2. Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Carol Braunschweig

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Wang, Y., Lim, H. (2014). Epidemiology of Obesity in Children. In: Fantuzzi, G., Braunschweig, C. (eds) Adipose Tissue and Adipokines in Health and Disease. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-770-9_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-770-9_11

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-62703-769-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-62703-770-9

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