Abstract
More and more children and adolescents are affected by excess weight and obesity. Particularly serious are the associated secondary diseases such as diabetes mellitus, fatty liver, high blood pressure, joint changes, and mental disorders. Experts of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development estimate that excess-weight-related diseases will cause 90 million deaths in the next 30 years and shorten life expectancy by about 3 years. Obesity and excess weight in childhood and adolescence are global health problems that are often not adequately diagnosed and treated. Prevention works and should begin as early as childhood and adolescence.