Abstract
Pediatric obesity is a complex, chronic disease that results from a multitude of genetic, biological, behavioral, environmental, and epigenetic factors, and it is associated with a range of physical and psychosocial health consequences both in childhood and into adulthood. The contributors and consequences of pediatric obesity can be viewed within the social-ecological perspective, which posits that bidirectional relationships exist between children’s individual, environmental, social, and cultural factors. In accordance with this perspective, a multi-tiered and interdisciplinary approach is necessary for optimal screening, assessment, prevention, and intervention of pediatric obesity. This chapter begins with a background of the measurement, prevalence, and etiology of pediatric obesity, followed by a discussion of physical and psychosocial health outcomes. Next, evidenced-based prevention and intervention approaches are discussed, with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration across child serving systems, including the home, school, community, and healthcare setting. A case study is also provided to help illustrate the interdisciplinary nature of pediatric obesity screening, assessment, prevention, and intervention. Finally, the literature is summarized and future directions are explored.
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Mitchell, T., Janicke, D. (2018). Obesity. In: Forman, S., Shahidullah, J. (eds) Handbook of Pediatric Behavioral Healthcare. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00791-1_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00791-1_4
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