It is vital that nurses understand the factors that can lead to weight problems and engage with young people and their families to promote healthy diets and lifestyles, say Sarah Penn and Joanne Kerr

Obesity is one of the biggest challenges facing UK children’s nurses today. However, it is a problem borne of many causes and requiring multi-level interventions. It is important for children’s nurses to understand the underlying causes of patients’ weight issues and how to engage with young people and their families to achieve a healthy weight. Nurses must be willing to engage in policy debates about whether the UK governments are doing enough to combat what has been termed ‘the obesity epidemic’.