The Role of Nurses in the Prevention and Management of Obesity in Children

Abstract

Since obesity is the source of many comorbidities, the main point of focus should be the prevention of its development, and not its consequent treatment. Interventions aimed at preventing childhood or adolescent obesity are more efficient and costeffective than its treatment. In this regard, it is important to initiate prevention programs during childhood. Nurses play a crucial role in protecting and promoting health in various groups via health education. Nutrition and health education, which include information on modifiable health behaviors that cause overweight in children (nutritional and exercise habits and sedentary behavior in children) and on familial health behaviors that affect children's weight (nutritional and exercise habits), should be provided for children and families by nurses starting from the neonatal period and extending to adolescence in order to fight obesity.