Obesity in adolescence: Its prevention and psycho-social aspects [Prevenzione e aspetti psico-sociali dell'obesità in età evolutiva]

Obesity is the most frequent nutritional disorder in adolescence and the rapid rise in its prevalence is one of the most alarming public health issue that western countries have to face nowadays. Directly associated with the rise in adolescence obesity is an increase in the prevalence of weight-related medical problems such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Therefore, obese adolescents might even be the first generation to die before their parents. Interventions that target risk factors for obesity at the individual, family and community levels are needed in order to prevent its increasing prevalence. Being adolescence not only one of the most vulnerable periods for the development of obesity but also the most important formative period in life, youth is a priority population for intervention strategies on both food behaviour and physical activity.