Survey Prevalence and Prevention of Childhood Obesity.

Childhood obesity is now being recognised as a global epidemic. Children in developed or industrialised countries, such as the UK and US currently demonstrate high levels of over-weight and obesity. The rise in childhood obesity is likely due to a complex set of interactions across a number of relevant social, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Each of these factors play pivotal roles on their own, and each requires their own interventions. In general, over-weight and obesity are assumed to be the result of the excessive intake of the type of calo-ries, fat, and sugar that are commonly found in soda drinks and purchased in "fast food" outlets. These convenience foods are becoming increasingly popular not just in industrialised nations, but in the developing world as well, causing a rise in obesity rates all around the world. Most researchers agree that prevention is the key strategy for controlling the current epi-demic of obesity. Prevention may include primary prevention of overweight or obesity, sec-ondary prevention or prevention of weight regains following weight loss, and avoidance of additional weight increase in obese persons unable to lose weight. Prevention may be achieved through a variety of interventions, such as by targeting the built environment