Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction to obesity epidemiology -- Descriptive epidemiology of obesity trends -- Analytic epidemiologic designs in obesity research -- Interpreting epidemiologic evidence and causal inference in obesity research -- Measurements of adiposity and body composition -- Dietary assessment methods -- Physical activity measurements -- Metabolic consequences of obesity -- Obesity and cardiovascular disease -- Obesity and cancer / Eugenia E. Calle -- Obesity and mortality -- Obesity and health-related quality of life / Daniel Kim and Ichiro Kawachi -- Economic costs of obesity / Graham A. Colditz and Y. Claire Wang -- Diet, nutrition, and obesity -- Physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and obesity -- Sleep deprivation and obesity / Sanjay R. Patel and Frank B. Hu -- Social determinants of obesity / Gary G. Bennett, Kathleen Y. Wolin, and Dustin T. Duncan -- Metabolic and hormonal predictors of obesity -- Developmental origins of obesity / Matthew W. Gillman -- Predictors and consequences of childhood obesity / Alison E. Field -- Genetic predictors of obesity -- Gene-environment interactions and obesity.