Defining an international standard for overweight and obesity in childhood

The extent of child obesity worldwide remains unclear, due in part to the lack of an internationally agreed definition of obesity. Cole et al (p 1240) propose a definition using age specific cut off points of body mass index based on nationally representative data from six countries. The cut off points coincide at age 18 with established adult cut off points for overweight and obesity. Between 2 and 18 years the cut off points are centiles of body mass index chosen to pass through the age 18 cut off points. The international basis for the definition should make it acceptable worldwide.