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Childhood obesity: modernity's scourge

Elizabeth B Waters and Louise A Baur
Med J Aust 2003; 178 (9): . || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2003.tb05280.x
Published online: 5 May 2003

The overarching cause is energy imbalance

The health and wellbeing of Australia's children and adolescents, now and in the future, is under threat. In 2002–2003, the most prevalent child health issues affecting children are preventable: obesity, dental disease, emotional and behavioural problems, bullying and learning delays. These problems often present as comorbidities.


  • 1 Research and Public Health Unit, Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC.
  • 2 University of Sydney Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, The Children's Hospital at Westmead,Westmead, NSW.


Correspondence: 

  • 1. Booth ML, Wake M, Armstrong T, et al. The epidemiology of overweight and obesity among Australian children and adolescents, 1995-1997. Aust N Z J Public Health 2001; 25: 162-169.
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  • 3. Booth ML, Chey T, Wake M, et al. Change in prevalence of overweight and obesity among young Australians, 1969-1997. Am J Clin Nutr 2002; 77: 29-36.
  • 4. Dwyer T, Blizzard L, Venn A, et al. Syndrome X in 8-y-old Australian children: stronger associations with current body fatness than with infant size or growth. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2002; 26: 1301-1309.
  • 5. National Health and Medical Research Council. Draft national clinical guidelines for weight control and obesity management in children and adolescents. Canberra: NHMRC, 2002.
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  • 8. Must A, Spadano J, Coakley EH, et al. The disease burden associated with overweight and obesity. JAMA 1999; 282: 1523-1529.
  • 9. Waters E, Goldfeld S, Hopkins S. Indicators for child health, development and wellbeing. An evidence based review of the international literature on population child health and wellbeing indicators. Melbourne: Centre for Community Child Health, 2002.
  • 10. Haikerwal A, Waters E, O'Neill C, et al. Social-cultural influences on food choice, eating customs, and physical activity: a systematic review of qualitative studies. Aust J Public Health 2002. In press.
  • 11. University of York, NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. The prevention and treatment of childhood obesity. Effective Health Care Bulletin 2002; 7(6).
  • 12. Summerbell CD, Waters E, Edmunds L, et al. Interventions for treating obesity in children (Protocol for a Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library (Issue 4). 2002. Oxford: Update Software.

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