Childhood overweight is a major health problem that can lead to negative consequences in adult life, including an increased risk of heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. In Latin America, around 18% of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. Through its technical cooperation (TC) programme, the IAEA is working with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to support national efforts to combat poor childhood nutrition. Seventeen countries in the region have taken part in a TC project that has helped them to build national capacity to use deuterium dilution to measure body composition in children.

The project has generated significant findings that can now be used by policy makers to develop and evaluate effective nutritional intervention programmes that will contribute to improving the health of both children and adults.