This book presents an up-to-date overview of the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, their medium- and long-term adverse effects, and their implications for planning public health actions.

This issue of Perspectives in Health is the last of the Pan American Health Organization's centennial year, and it is perhaps appropriate that we close 2002 with a bang rather than a whimper. Toward that end, we have chosen one of the humorously provocative works of Colombian artist Fernando Botero to grace the magazine's cover.