Government-led programmes attempting to curb childhood obesity by educating parents do not work, an international study published Thursday concluded, and researchers are calling for policies that prioritise society-wide solutions.

Obesity is a major health crisis with more than one in eight people globally now obese, according to the World Health Organization. By 2050, nearly 60 percent of adults and one third of children are predicted to be obese.

Hoping to address the problem, governments across the world have launched programmes to raise awareness among new parents about the importance of a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

A new study published in The Lancet medical journal compiled the results from 17 trials covering more than 9,000 toddlers in eight developed countries: Austr

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