Childhood obesity in Europe and policies to address it

Childhood overweight and obesity in Europe have taken on dramatic dimensions, with one in three 11-year-olds in the WHO European Region estimated to be overweight or obese in 2014. Boys are at higher risk than girls and there is a pronounced social gradient, with higher rates among the most disadvantaged groups. A range of policies at national and international level have been instigated to address this challenge. This article describes some promising examples, as well as some of the obstacles that will need to be overcome.