Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic

This report, published in 1998 by the World Health Organisation (WHO), supports selective prevention of obesity in population subgroups with an above average risk of developing obesity, and targeted prevention directed at high-risk (non-obese) individuals with existing weight problems.

This report reviews current information on obesity, and records the conclusions and recommendations of a major WHO consultation, which aimed to address the alarming global epidemic of obesity, assess the magnitude of associated public health problems, and map out strategies for prevention and control. The report also looks at the causes and costs of obesity, possible interventions at both a population and individual level, and presents a coherent system for assessing and classifying overweight and obesity.

Chapters review data on the effectiveness of available strategies, establish basic principles for a comprehensive strategy for preventing and managing obesity, define priority areas for interventions, and evaluate currently available treatments for individual patients.

Website:
International Obesity TaskForce (IOTF) – http://www.iotf.org/publications/

Reference:
World Health Organisation. Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic: Report of the WHO Consultation of Obesity. Geneva: World Health Organisation, 1997.