| Since the 1960s, the prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents has tripled. Over the past three decades, the prevalence of childhood obesity has more than doubled for preschool children aged 2--5 years and adolescents aged 12--19 years, and it has more than tripled for children aged 6--11 years (Ogden et al., 2002). Currently, 17% of children and adolescents in the United States are overweight and 20% are at risk for obesity (Ogden et al., 2006). The recent increase in child and adolescent obesity is particularly evident among African-American and Mexican-American children and adolescents. Understanding the causes of childhood obesity, determining what to do about them, and taking appropriate action require attention to what influences eating behaviors. The purpose of the present work is an in depth review of the psychiatric and cross-cultural aspects of pediatric obesity and to highlight the reasons why the rate of childhood obesity keeps increasing, especially in ethnic minorities and underprivileged groups. |
