Articles

Paediatric obesity has become a major issue of global concern in the area of public health, with multifactorial interactions between genetic, environmental, and behavioural factors. Caloric overeating, inappropriate diet, sedentary lifestyles, and disturbance in the metabolism of the body are the main contributors to excessive adiposity among children and adolescents. Metabolic complications, which result, namely, insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, NAFLD, and premature onset of metabolic syndrome, substantially increase the likelihood of cardiometabolic disease throughout life. Management requires a multidisciplinary strategy that incorporates nutritional counselling, encouragement of physical activity, behavioural change, and family interventions. Poor diet and lack of physical activity have central roles in the development of diseases too. Sustained behavioural support, culturally sensitive interventions, and stringent policy evaluation should be of priority in future studies to reflect the establishment of effective public health interventions.