Overweight and obesity in European children and adolescents

The conclusions of this mini-workshop are not substantially different from those previously published based on the USA experience [9]. This does not necessarily mean that there are no important differences between Europe and the USA, rather it reflects the paucity of data, especially in Europe. Moreover, European data are dominated by studies in Northern and Western European countries, which are closest in economic terms to the USA. This review has not been able to reflect the position in the less economically advantaged parts of Europe where more substantial differences may occur. Together, these reviews have highlighted the limited and inadequate data available on one of the most important and burgeoning public health problems in the world today. There is an urgent need for more research into the fundamental mechanisms of weight gain and effective interventions if we are to prevent the next generation becoming fatter than their parents.