Recently, the prevalence of overweight and obesity are increasing and consider as the major nutritional problem worldwide. Dietary energy intake higher than energy expenditure leads to obesity. In addition, increasing “obesogenic” environment and decreasing physical activity in several societies are the causes of excess weight and obesity. Childhood obesity is increasing due to psychological issues and exposure to unhealthy and energy-dense diets. Childhood obesity has several adverse health consequences including development of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome during childhood and adulthood. Because of limited success of therapeutic interventions to treat obesity and the metabolic syndrome, there has been an increased interest in preventative strategies.

Inter-disciplinary collaborations across health and local government are required for alteration eating behaviors and habitual levels of physical activity in childhood. Changes are needed at families, schools, and local environments levels.

 The World Health Organization program on Ending Childhood Obesity (WHO-ECHO) is a comprehensive program that provides policy recommendations for prevention, control, and treatment of obesity in children and adolescents. In addition, this program tries to reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality related to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), reduce negative psychosocial effects of obesity and decrease the prevalence of obesity in the next generation.

Dr. Motahar Heidari-Beni works as assistant professor in Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Her interested topics are non-communicable disease and nutrition sciences. She is very interested for research and implement novel projects about primordial prevention of non-communicable disease.