Written by members of an interdisciplinary team at the Institute of Medicine, this volume presents an action plan aimed at preventing obesity in children and youth in the United States. The authors identify the social, environmental, medical, and dietary factors responsible for the increasing prevalence of obesity in young people and describe some of the most promising short- and long-term interventions for reversing this trend. These interventions include (for example) the promotion of breastfeeding during infancy and the establishment of nutritional standards for all food and beverages served in schools. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)