Childhood obesity: its incidence, consequences and prevention.

In 1998 the World Health Organization declared childhood obesity a 'global epidemic' (WHO, 1998). The Department of Health has identified that prevention must be aimed at children to address its rise in future generations (DoH, 2002). Childhood obesity is recognised as a predictor of adolescent and adult obesity (Smith, 2002; Parsons et al, 1999; Whitaker et al, 1997). Without intervention to prevent the growing trend of childhood obesity there is a risk of increasing economic cost and human suffering in future generations (Laing, 2002).