Obesity/overweight: Prevention and weight management

Overweight/obesity is a growing public health problem throughout the world. Preventive measures to help individuals maintain energy balance and avoid excessive weight gain are critical, because of the cost and limited effectiveness of currently available treatments. Weight gain usually results from a combination of excessive caloric intake and inadequate physical inactivity. Effective population-level prevention requires consideration of the important role that physical, social, and economic forces play in shaping individual choices. Schools, workplaces, and communities provide numerous opportunities to improve nutrition and physical activity at the local level. There is an urgent need to identify and evaluate policy approaches that make the physical and social environment more conducive to a healthy lifestyle. © 2008