Published in:
01-09-2015 | The Obesity Epidemic: Causes and Consequences (A Peeters and S Tanamas, Section Editors)
Overweight and Obesity: Prevalence, Consequences, and Causes of a Growing Public Health Problem
Authors:
Ellen P. Williams, Marie Mesidor, Karen Winters, Patricia M. Dubbert, Sharon B. Wyatt
Published in:
Current Obesity Reports
|
Issue 3/2015
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Abstract
This review considers a variety of perspectives on overweight and obesity (OW/obesity), including measurement and classification; prevalence and changes in prevalence in recent years; genetic, biological, medical, individual, and social correlates of OW/obesity; and treatment approaches. Despite increased attention, OW/obesity is escalating in prevalence worldwide, and the causes are exceedingly complex. A range of innovative studies, including basic research on gut microflora, dietary composition, pharmacologic interventions, and surgical procedures, is generating findings with potential for future prevention and treatment of OW/obesity. Social system changes such as school programs and the awareness of the roles of personal, family, health provider, and cultural experiences related to OW/obesity have also gained traction for vital prevention and treatment efforts over the past decade.