Managing early childhood obesity in the primary care setting: a behavior modification approach.

The purpose of this article is to encourage primary care pediatric nurses to begin behavioral-based obesity treatment efforts as early as the preschool years. By examining the critical periods for obesity development and how the formation of food and activity behaviors interacts with those critical periods during the preschool years, the value of initiating early obesity treatment will be highlighted. Furthermore, the theory of behavior modification is presented and core principles are applied to early childhood weight management efforts.