Childhood Obesity I: Clinical Evaluation and Treatment
Fast food. Video games. Cutbacks in school physical education programs. These and other social forces are contributing to an astounding increase in the number of overweight kids. Some six million American children are now so obese that their health is endangered, and five million more are on the threshold of this condition. The rate of childhood obesity is rapidly rising. Currently, it is estimated that one in three children is either overweight or at risk for obesity. Clinicians are discovering in children the diseases associated with excess body weight that were formerly seen mainly in adults, including type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. This first program of a two-part series describes the prevalence of childhood obesity, discusses contributing factors, and offers screening and treatment strategies. (VHS)

Childhood Obesity II: Prevention and Community Intervention
Preventing childhood obesity is more than a clinical problem. School and local community involvement are crucial in stemming the tide of this growing epidemic. Important intervention and prevention strategies, such as healthy eating and exercise, are most effective when physicians work in tandem with community-based initiatives. This second program of a two-part series examines ways that various school-based and community-supported programs can work hand-in-hand with clinical interventions to help overweight children lead healthier lives. Directors of these programs also offer their advice about methods that allow physicians to intervene early and to get involved with community efforts to forestall the development of obesity in our children. (VHS)

CDC Responds: Update on Options for Preventive Treatment
for Patients at Risk for Inhalational Anthrax
Presents the rationale for three new treatment options for patients at risk for inhalational anthrax; describes the recommended protocol, IND and content issues, and efficacy of the anthrax vaccine; discusses prophylactic antibiotic efficacy and safety issues. (VHS)