ABSTRACT
Being overweight or obese receives ongoing attention in the literature and the media as the prevalence rates and knowledge concerning the co-morbidities of excessive weight increase. One primary motivator for this attention is the escalating rates of overweight and obesity among, not only adults, but among children and adolescents (Levine, Ringham, Kalarchian, Wisniewski, & Marcus, 2001). Understanding the psychosocial, economic, and health complexity of these conditions is essential for practitioners to effectively intervene. This chapter first discusses the prevalence rates, relevant medical knowledge of the conditions and co-morbidities, medical regimens and treatments, and the psychosocial stressors and sequelae attendant to being overweight or obese for children and youth, and for adults. Second, the 12 interventions promising efficacy located in this systematic review are presented. The chapter concludes with an overview of the implications for practice and future research, a glossary of related terms, and a scenario with questions for reflection and discussion.
