Weighty matters--an approach to childhood overweight in general practice

In Australia, childhood obesity now rivals asthma as the most prevalent chronic child health condition. The past 2 decades have shown a rapidly rising prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity with no sign that this trajectory will plateau. Primary care is increasingly recognised as a forum in which to address this growing public health issue.

This article discusses the epidemiology of childhood overweight and obesity in Australia and their associated physical and psychosocial morbidities. It discusses the current evidence base and resources for the definition, investigation and management of childhood obesity and outlines an approach in the primary care setting. It also reports a recently developed general practitioner delivered intervention to reduce overweight in primary school aged children--the Live, Eat and Play (LEAP) project.

Clear clinical practice guidelines for the assessment and management of overweight and obesity in childhood in primary care now exist. The feasibility of these guidelines, and the availability of resources required to deliver them, is not yet clear. The LEAP project proposes an effective intervention delivered by general practitioners to address this vital and complex issue.