This title includes a number of Open Access chapters.


The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity has increased worldwide in recent decades. Obesity in childhood is associated with a wide range of serious health complications and an increased risk of premature illness and death later in life. This book presents childhood obesity trends across multiple demographics and discusses the contributing genetic and environmental factors. It demonstrates the adverse health consequences of childhood obesity both as they relate to childhood and as they last into adulthood and presents multiple methods for obesity treatment included community and family-based intervention, pharmacotherapy, and surgical procedures.