Introduction. The obesity epidemic is one of the most serious challenges to public health in the European Union. Annually, over a million of EU citizens die as a result of illnesses resulting from excessive body weight. However, the trend is particularly alarming in young people, since this may lead to an epidemic in adulthood, and become a health burden for the next generation.

Aim of the study. The development and implementation of an effective “repair programme” in order to reduce the scale of the problem of overweight and obese children and adolescents in Poland.

Materials and methods. The research will be carried out on young people in grades 7, 8 and 9 aged between 13 and 16 from randomized voivodships and among their parents. The young people from grades 7, 8 and 9 will complete a previously-piloted auditorium questionnaire (survey no.1), and will take anthropometric tests. The parents of those taking part in the research will also complete a previously-piloted questionnaire (survey no. 2). Those adolescents who are found to be overweight or obese will undergo further laboratory tests using a BIA-101 body impedence analyser and a spirometer.