Abstract/Summary

Overweight/obesity in childhood years has become a worldwide epidemic in the current decades. World Health Organization (2018) reported that the prevalence of obesity in children worldwide tripled between 1975 and 2016 with more than 41 million children under the age of 5 being overweight/obese in 2016. Since obesity has been associated with a wide range of health problems (Eschenbeck et al., 2009; Maiano et al., 2018; Reilly & Kelly, 2011; Storch et al., 2007) and its prevalence has increased excessively (Nutrition and Health Survey of Turkey, 2014; WHO, 2018), it is of great importance to identify the precursors of obesity and develop obesity intervention/prevention programs. Current review aims to compile national and international research regarding maternal child feeding behaviors and cognitions, parenting styles, and child temperament as important precursors of obesity. The main aim is to provide a review of the state of the art on childhood obesity to inform further research and obesity intervention programs.