Childhood Obesity News and Research

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Under-twos should avoid screen time to protect future health

Using screens during the first 1001 days of life can lead to developmental concerns for the next generation, researchers warn.

29 Jun 2026

Parental genes rather than pregnancy weight influence childhood body mass index

The link between parents' body mass index (BMI) and their children's BMI in childhood is driven largely by genetic inheritance, rather than by any direct biological effects of parental weight during pregnancy, a new study suggests.

23 Jun 2026

Comprehensive food regulations lower obesity risk among children

Chile's complementary set of policies targeting food products high in fat, salt and sugar plausibly reduces the risk of school age children being overweight or having obesity, finds a study published in The Lancet.

11 Jun 2026

Fathers shape childhood obesity risk long before birth

New research highlights fathers' influence on childhood obesity risk through sperm changes, lifestyle, and parenting, urging inclusive prevention strategies.

9 Jun 2026

How tobacco-style product design shaped a kids’ lunchbox staple

A historical case study shows how tobacco-style research, consumer testing, and product reformulation strategies helped shape and expand a child-focused ultra-processed meal brand. The paper argues that tobacco and ultra-processed food regulation should be studied together, as both sectors used similar product-design strategies to boost appeal and maintain consumer loyalty.

5 Jun 2026

Fathers' health may shape children's future obesity ris

As obesity rates rise across the U.S., new research from Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health at the University of California, Irvine scientists draws attention to an often-overlooked factor in children's long-term health: fathers.

4 Jun 2026

Exercise during pregnancy links to lower infant BMI at one year

Supervised exercise during pregnancy may lower infant BMI and reduce obesity risk, highlighting the impact of maternal health on early growth trajectories.

4 Jun 2026

Pediatric experts reveal the 10 research areas set to shape child health

Pediatric research leaders identified 10 high-promise areas likely to shape child health over the next 5 to 10 years, including genomics, mental health, vaccines, artificial intelligence, perinatal medicine, precision therapeutics, health equity, nutrition, environmental health, and cancer treatment. The paper argues that these opportunities will only translate into better outcomes if pediatric research receives sustained funding, public trust, workforce support, advocacy, and equitable implementation.

1 Jun 2026

New analysis shows obesity rates plateauing in many countries

An international large-scale study involving the University of Granada (UGR) examines obesity trends since the 1980s and reveals that the increase has slowed, stabilized, and even reversed in many countries, though it is still rising in developing nations.

26 May 2026

Pennington and Vanderbilt launch major study on childhood obesity treatment

Pennington Biomedical Research Center, in collaboration with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has launched a research study, the COACH trial, to test different ways to help children and their families improve their health through lifestyle changes delivered by primary care clinics in communities in Louisiana and Tennessee.

19 May 2026

Semaglutide significantly reduces obesity in treatment-resistant young adults

A weekly dose of semaglutide (2.4 mg) leads to a clinically significant reduction in body mass index (BMI) and related health outcomes in young adults with severe obesity who are treatment resistant following hospital-based non-pharmacological obesity care during childhood, according to a randomized controlled trial being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May).

13 May 2026

Children frequently pressure parents to buy unhealthy foods during shopping

A study using a nationally representative survey of parents in England, to be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026, Istanbul, Turkey, 12-15 May), reveals that over half (58%) of parents are frequently pestered by their children or teens to purchase products high in fats, salts and/or sugar (HFSS) when food shopping in stores or online, and almost three-quarters (72%) reported often buying the requested item.

10 May 2026

Rising bowel and ovarian cancer rates in younger adults raise new concerns

Cases of several cancers are rising in England among both younger and older adults, but rates of bowel and ovarian cancer are rising only among younger adults (under 50s), finds research published in the open access journal BMJ Oncology.

28 Apr 2026

Study finds season of entry impacts childhood obesity outcomes

Childhood obesity remains a major health challenge, and effective interventions often depend on more than nutritional advice or exercise plans alone.

28 Apr 2026

Obesity may leave immune cells stuck in inflammatory mode after weight loss

A new EMBO Reports study suggests that obesity can leave a lasting epigenetic imprint on CD4 T cells, delaying the restoration of adaptive immune balance after weight loss. Using mouse models and human cohorts, researchers linked this immune “memory” to DNA methylation changes, saturated fatty acids, autophagy, and immune senescence.

28 Apr 2026

Obesity leaves lasting molecular tags on the immune system

People who live with obesity are 'tagging' a memory of being overweight on a key part of the immune system - leaving people with ongoing risk of obesity-related conditions years after losing weight, according to a 10 year-long study published in EMBO Reports.

27 Apr 2026

BMI increases in early childhood may reflect muscle growth, not fat

A new study published in The Journal of Nutrition, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Society for Nutrition, offers new insights into a decades-old puzzle in childhood obesity. The study found that while body mass index (BMI) starts to rise in early childhood during a stage known as adiposity rebound, when BMI increases after an initial decline, the waist-to-height ratio, a measure that better reflects body fat, continues to drop. This suggests that the BMI increase at this age mainly reflects growth in lean tissues such as muscle and bone, rather than extra body fat.

16 Apr 2026

Lower-protein toddler formula does not reduce BMI at age 2, trial finds

A large randomized trial in Germany and Spain found that lowering milk protein intake during the second year of life did not reduce BMI z-score at 24 months, though it did produce a temporary BMI reduction at 18 months. Lower protein intake also led to more stable weight and length trajectories, while higher protein intake pushed growth upward relative to WHO standards.

15 Apr 2026

Obesity in childhood may limit future income and opportunities

Childhood obesity may be quietly undermining one of the central promises of American life.

18 Mar 2026

More US adolescents are obese but fewer are trying to lose weight

The rising obesity rates in American adolescents, coupled with declining weight-loss efforts, signal urgent needs for targeted public health interventions.

18 Mar 2026