CONSENSUS DEVELOPMENT ON CHILDHOOD OBESITY

Key words: Obesity, Overweight, Children, Consensus, Body mass index, Body fat, Metabolic syndrome

In March 2004 a group of 65 physicians and other health professionals representing nine countries on four continents convened in Israel to discuss the widespread public health crisis in childhood obesity. The conference addressed topics ranging from epidemiology and etiology to prevention and treatment. The several working groups attempted to formulate evidence- based answers to commonly asked questions, thus providing a platform for consensus development in the international healthcare community aimed towards future corrective action.