Childhood obesity is becoming an epidemic worldwide. For children, excessive body fat has medical consequences, and some suffer from a wide range of serious psychosocial conditions including stigma, depression, and reduced self-esteem. Several decades have passed since childhood obesity and television emerged as a public concern in the West. However, research on television viewing-obesity and its related issues in Chinese societies remains sparse. This study intends to provide useful insights for childhood obesity and advertising. First, it reviews definitions of obesity and overweight for adults and children. Second, it focuses on the associated factors of overweight and obese children in urban China. Then urbanization, individual children's consumption style and the role of advertising are explored. Last, a research agenda for researchers with a particular focus on advertising and childhood obesity, responsibility of advertising professionals and policy makers and cure and prevention strategies are proposed.