Pediatric Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome, Endocrinology, Nutrition and Growth Branch, Center for Research for Mothers and Children, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Childhood obesity is an increasing health threat. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary funding agency for research into the causes, mechanisms, consequences, and prevention and treatment of childhood obesity. Using the NIH Strategic Plan for Obesity Research as the framework, this article summarizes the research that has been funded in the past five years as well as new research areas with great potential.