Childhood obesity: the challenges for nurses

Obesity is one of the biggest challenges facing UK children's nurses today. However, it is a problem borne of many causes and requiring multi-level interventions. It is important for children's nurses to understand the underlying causes of patients' weight issues and how to engage with young people and their families to achieve a healthy weight. Nurses must be willing to engage in policy debates about whether the UK governments are doing enough to combat what has been termed 'the obesity epidemic'.