Putting related individual studies into childhood obesity intervention studies.

A tremendous number of papers on pediatric obesity topic has emerged in recent years. Flodmark et al, outlined the nature of the problem and pointed out the paucity of literature on the prevention and treatment of obesity in children. The same paper reported that six relevant levels could be involved in prevention/treatment: family, schools, health professional, government, industry and media. The authors concluded that it is important to investigate and to standardize pediatric prevention and treatment and to adapt to social and cultural aspects. It is also fundamental to note the enormous advances in the genetic underpinnings of obesity in the past decade. However, behavior genetic methods have provided less information on the environmental influences and intermediary behaviors that promote childhood obesity