Childhood Obesity News and Research

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Rethinking childhood obesity through gentle nutrition and emotional support

Over the past decades, childhood obesity has become a global health crisis, intensified by the sedentary routines and dietary disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

18 Jul 2025

Parental cholesterol predicts asthma severity in children

Parental metabolic health influences childhood asthma severity, with paternal cholesterol showing modest protective effects against exacerbating symptoms.

18 Jul 2025

Teen obesity and diabetes may weaken lifelong bone strength

Obesity and type 2 diabetes in adolescence can interfere with bone development, potentially increasing the risk of fractures and osteoporosis later in life, according to a study being presented Monday at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco, Calif.

15 Jul 2025

Most kids’ packaged foods in Australia are ultra-processed and energy-dense, study finds

A decade-long analysis of packaged foods for Australian children reveals that most new products are both ultra-processed and high in energy density. The study highlights a pressing need for stronger regulations to protect young consumers’ diets.

14 Jul 2025

Prenatal air pollution exposure linked to higher childhood obesity risk

Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy, specifically to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), may increase the risk of childhood overweight or obesity.

25 Jun 2025

Most British babies eat processed snacks before age one, study finds

Researchers in the UK found that over 87% of parents give processed snack foods to babies and toddlers, often introducing them well before the recommended age. Brand marketing, convenience, and misleading “health halo” claims are major drivers behind these widespread feeding habits.

23 Jun 2025

US children who eat more fruit have less abdominal fat

Research shows that increased fruit consumption is associated with reduced abdominal fat in children, highlighting its importance in obesity prevention.

23 Jun 2025

Half of your kid’s food might be ultra-processed and that’s a problem

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) contributed nearly half of daily energy intake among 8–12-year-old Australian children. In older children (10–12), higher UPF intake by weight was linked to increased abdominal obesity and higher BMI z-scores.

19 Jun 2025

Pennington Biomedical’s Greaux Healthy initiative launches to improve child health in Louisiana

Pennington Biomedical Research Center publicly introduced its Greaux Healthy initiative, a public service initiative designed to help improve Louisiana kids' health at every age, during the weekly Red Stick Farmer's Market on Thursday.

6 Jun 2025

Transforming IBS treatment through psychedelic medicine

In a comprehensive Genomic Press Interview published today, Dr. Erin E. Mauney reveals how her pioneering research brings psychedelic medicine into gastroenterology for the first time, potentially transforming treatment for millions suffering from intractable irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

3 Jun 2025

Fathers' teenage diets linked to healthier eating habits in children

While moms have traditionally gotten much of the focus when it comes to children's eating habits, a new study highlights the importance of dads in shaping a child's relationship with food.

1 Jun 2025

Genetic factors influence obesity risk in children exposed to gestational diabetes

Children exposed to gestational diabetes in utero with a specific variation of a common gene are at a higher risk of becoming overweight or obese during childhood, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

30 May 2025

Early teen obesity in boys may affect the health of future generations

A new study suggests that boys who become overweight in their early teens risk damaging the genes of their future children, increasing their chances of developing asthma, obesity and low lung function.

27 May 2025

Early childhood weight patterns linked to future obesity risk

Not all children grow the same way. A new study from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program suggests that body weight changes in early childhood may be associated with later obesity risk.

22 May 2025

BMI changes in adolescence mediate the effect of air pollution on metabolic health

Changes in Body Mass Index (BMI) during adolescence play an important role in the association between air pollution exposure and insulin resistance, according to a new study led by investigators from the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

20 May 2025

Rural preschoolers face higher risk of overweight and abdominal obesity

New research being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Malaga, Spain (11-14 May), reveals that 3- to 4- year olds in rural areas are more likely to be living with overweight and abdominal obesity (excess fat around waist), and spend more time on screens than their urban counterparts.

13 May 2025

What’s stopping restaurants from offering healthier kids’ meals?

Dutch researchers explored what motivates restaurants to offer healthier kids’ meals and what stands in the way. While willingness is high, perceived low demand, food waste, and operational barriers hold many back.

13 May 2025

GLP-1 drugs linked to significant BMI reduction in children with severe obesity

Children who are living with severe obesity are more likely to experience a clinically relevant change in BMI when GLP-1 agonist drugs form part of their treatment, new research being presented at year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025) suggests.

12 May 2025

Childhood obesity linked to lower employment and education rates in early adulthood

Individuals who lived with obesity as children are less likely to be in work or studying in their mid-20s than their peers, new research being presented at year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025) has found.

11 May 2025

Adverse waist-to-height ratio trajectories during childhood linked to early cardiometabolic risk

New research being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Malaga, Spain (11-14 May) reveals that adverse waist-to-height ratio trajectories (a marker for central obesity) during childhood may increase cardiometabolic and cardiovascular risk at 10 years old.

11 May 2025