The ‘24/7’ culture of Western societies, whereby wakefulness is extended due to work or social pressures, has implications for our quality of sleep, and perhaps our risk of obesity and diabetes, according to research.

This is the last in the series of articles examining the prevention of childhood obesity and will look at the overall guidance gleaned from earlier studies which can be used to inform and improve future interventions.

Programmes to prevent childhood overweight and obesity, which focus on modification of dietary behaviour, increasing physical activity or reducing sedentary behaviour, have been underway for a number of years in countries all over the world. Encouraging results have provided useful data for the development of future initiatives. This is the second in a series of articles discussing current research on the prevention of childhood obesity.

As levels of overweight and obesity in European children continue to rise, it is generally agreed that preventive action is needed urgently. However, there is still much debate over when and how to introduce interventions and what precise measures should be used. Here are some of the considerations

The burden of obesity threatens the health and quality of life of an increasing number of Europeans. For this reason national governments and the European Commission have allocated substantial resources to find out how to reverse this trend. Although we now know a great deal about body weight control systems and that these are influenced by genetic traits, the current increase in obesity in Europe is greatly influenced by lifestyle, diet and physical activity. There is a need for more information on the precise factors that promote obesity and this will in turn provide the basis for preventive public health measures. Here is an overview of some of the current EU funded research projects in this area referred to by their acronyms.

One in six Europeans, and up to one in three in some EU countries, have the metabolic syndrome, a condition that greatly increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke, and can lead to premature death. Rapid increases in the rates of overweight and obesity at increasingly earlier ages drive the massive prevalence of the syndrome. The metabolic syndrome even creeps up in geographical areas that were traditionally protected through healthy diets and lifestyle such as Greece or France. The impact on society is huge, with experts expecting health and social welfare costs to rise in Europe, in the near future.

As European waistlines continue to expand, research into the optimal diet for weight loss and keeping slim continues. As in all areas of research, ideas evolve and develop in surprising ways, often challenging accepted wisdom. Here are some of the recent developments in obesity research.

Consequently, prevention and treatment of childhood obesity is a public health priority. What is the current information on the methods and the results?

Syndrome X – it sounds like a scary disease associated with aliens and science-fiction movies however, this disorder is affecting more and more Europeans. Syndrome X, also known as the metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance syndrome, has been linked to rising levels of obesity and declines in the levels of physical activity.

Once considered an aesthetic rather than a medical problem, obesity is now officially recognised as a major public health problem. No longer the lifestyle disease of the affluent west, it is growing at an alarming rate both in the industrialised countries and the developing world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) terms it a « rising epidemic ».

In several European countries, over a third of the population is overweight. Despite higher awareness of the importance of diet, obesity and overweight represent a serious problem.