Editorial

Obesity, caused by dietary factors and physical inactivity, is probably the greatest scourge that future generations will face. Physical activity guidelines now exist alongside dietary recommendations, but as the prevalence of overweightness and obesity continues to increase, the existence of these guidelines will be far from sufficient to stem the rising tide of metabolic disease worldwide. The first of what would be considered modern dietary guidelines were published in the early 20th century, largely spurred by the need to ensure adequate nutrition during wartime. As food was then scarce or its availability uncertain, these guidelines were most concerned with ensuring that minimum required intakes were met. However, in the past three decades, overnutrition, not undernutrition, has become the major public health concern; the prevalence of underweight (BMI