Childhood Obesity News and Research

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High-resolution DNA sequencing data for 37,000 children and parents released

The first resource containing high-resolution DNA sequencing data for over 37,000 children and parents collected over multiple decades from across the UK is now available to researchers worldwide.

4 Mar 2025

Artificial sweeteners may reduce metformin’s effectiveness in weight and glucose control

Drinking artificially sweetened beverages may reduce metformin’s effectiveness in young patients with obesity and prediabetes, but a larger study is needed to confirm these findings.

27 Feb 2025

Preschoolers with better fitness have sharper brains, study finds

A study in Pediatric Research found that preschoolers with higher physical fitness levels perform significantly better in memory, attention, and problem-solving tasks, emphasizing the role of movement in early cognitive development.

26 Feb 2025

Understanding the health risks of childhood hypertension

High blood pressure (BP) isn't just an adult problem - it's a lifelong condition that can start in childhood, yet it receives little attention in younger populations.

24 Feb 2025

Could a common sugar in processed foods be fueling childhood liver disease?

Researchers found that high fructose intake, especially from processed foods, is linked to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in children with obesity, with potential misreporting of sugary food sources.

12 Feb 2025

Changing menu layouts could help teens make healthier food choices

New research from the University of Birmingham and Aston University has found that putting lower-calorie meal choices at the top of a restaurant menu, and reducing the availability of high-calorie options, makes teenagers more likely to order the healthier options.

12 Feb 2025

Can parents' diet predict childhood obesity? New research weighs in

Children’s eating habits are strongly influenced by their parents' weight status, with those having overweight or obese parents consuming more carbohydrates and exhibiting higher obesity risks.

6 Feb 2025

EU-backed projects join forces to tackle obesity crisis

Over the past decades, obesity has reached epidemic proportions, now affecting more than 1 billion people worldwide.

6 Feb 2025

Ultra-processed foods linked to increased obesity risk in preschoolers

Ultraprocessed food consumption in preschoolers is associated with increased body fat, particularly in boys, underscoring the importance of nutrition education.

4 Feb 2025

Self-guided family-based treatment effective for childhood obesity

Family-based behavioral treatment (FBT) is a clinically-proven approach to treating children with obesity in which a health care professional works with the family to help children lose weight by promoting physical activity, encouraging healthy eating habits, and teaching age-appropriate behavioral skills.

29 Jan 2025

Study finds successful treatment of childhood obesity lowers long-term health risks

Effective treatment of childhood obesity significantly lowers long-term health risks, including type 2 diabetes and hypertension, promoting better adult health.

24 Jan 2025

How gut microbiota impacts childhood obesity

Gut microbiota plays a critical role in childhood obesity by influencing energy metabolism, inflammation, and appetite regulation, with emerging therapeutic strategies like probiotics, dietary interventions, and fecal microbiota transplantation showing promise.

21 Jan 2025

Childhood obesity treatment reduces long-term health risks but not depression

When children with obesity undergo weight-loss treatment, the effects have repercussions later in life and the risk of serious health problems and premature death is lower as they reach young adulthood.

21 Jan 2025

Air pollution before conception may increase child BMI

In a study of more than 5,000 mothers and their children, exposure to air pollution during the three months before pregnancy predicted higher child body mass index (BMI) and related obesity risk factors up to two years of age.

15 Jan 2025

Obesity at cancer diagnosis linked to higher risk of death in children

A recent population-based study indicates that among children with cancer, those with obesity at the time of diagnosis may face an elevated risk of dying.

13 Jan 2025

Nutrition progress stalls: Most nations lag behind 2030 goals

Global progress toward nutrition targets is slow, with few countries on track to meet goals for anemia, stunting, and child overweight by 2030, highlighting the urgent need for long-term, multisectoral strategies.

12 Dec 2024

Study links metal exposure to overweight and obesity in children

Researchers from the Granada Biosanitary Research Institute (ibs.GRANADA) and the University od Granada have revealed positive and negative associations between exposure to a combination of different metals and overweight and obesity in children.

11 Dec 2024

Philadelphia beverage tax: Did it curb childhood obesity?

The 2017 Philadelphia beverage tax aimed to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and improve pediatric health. While it significantly reduced sugary drink purchases, its impact on overall pediatric weight was limited, with minor changes observed in specific subgroups.

27 Nov 2024

Better infant growth linked to healthy prenatal diet following USDA guidelines

Findings indicate that a quality prenatal diet is crucial for healthy infant growth, potentially reducing risks of childhood obesity and promoting development.

25 Nov 2024

Study reveals slower fat gain in babies exposed to gestational diabetes

A new study led by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and Harvard Medical School reveals surprising findings about how babies exposed to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) grow during their first year of life.

20 Nov 2024