Introduction
The current increase in the prevalence of pediatric
obesity has fostered a multi-disciplinary discourse on
the most appropriate strategy for reducing this epi-
demic. While no consensus has been reached, it is
likely that preventive efforts will prevail, with inter-
ventions likely to target all children at a young age.
Among children, as well as adults, obesity has an
etiology which is multidimensional in nature. The
principle of energy balance suggests that when
energy intake is higher than energy expended,
weight gain is the result. Although energy intake
depends solely on dietary consumption, energy expen-
diture is dependent on several components, with the
major modiฎable aspect being physical activity. Thus,
both dietary and physical activity patterns have been
emphasized as appropriate interventions for the pre-
vention of obesity. However, among children, a
reduction in energy intake may compromise growth
and essential energy acquisition. In addition, attempts
to modify the eating patterns of children may