Childhood Obesity News and Research

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Childhood obesity in England shows alarming rise in disparities over 24 years

Study in the Archives of Disease in Childhood analyzed trends in childhood overweight and obesity in England from 1995 to 2019, revealing growing socioeconomic and racial disparities.

28 Jan 2024

COVID-19 lockdown fueled fuel primary school obesity crisis in the UK

Obesity among primary school children in the UK spiked during the COVID-19 lockdown, with a 45% increase between 2019/20 and 2020/21 among 4-5-year-olds, according to a study published on January 24, 2024 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Iván Ochoa-Moreno from the University of Southampton, UK, and colleagues.

24 Jan 2024

Pregnant women exposed to common flame retardants may face preterm birth risk

In the largest study of its kind, researchers at UC Davis Health found that exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants during pregnancy was associated with preterm birth, especially among females.

24 Jan 2024

England needs urgent action to tackle rising childhood obesity inequalities

The fastest and highest growth in the prevalence of childhood obesity in England has been among 11-15 year olds, rising from 30% in 1995 to 38% in 2019, finds a detailed analysis of national data, published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

22 Jan 2024

In utero exposure to PFAS affects the unborn child, study suggests

PFAS are chemicals that may cause cancer, diabetes, and other diseases. Research from örebro University now suggests that these chemicals affect people as early as the fetal stage of development.

9 Jan 2024

Light physical activity emerges as powerful tool to reverse childhood inactivity's cholesterol risk

Increased sedentary time in childhood can raise cholesterol levels by two thirds as an adult, leading to heart problems and even premature death - but a new study has found light physical activity may completely reverse the risks and is far more effective than moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

15 Dec 2023

Fetal macrosomia may be linked to overweight and obesity in early childhood

A new study published in the Journal Reproductive and Developmental Medicine (RDM) has found a strong association between fetal macrosomia (high birth weight) and overweight and obesity in early childhood among the U.S.-born children aged 2-6 years.

15 Dec 2023

Light physical activity can be a powerful tool for combating childhood obesity

Increased sedentary time from childhood through young adulthood caused increased body fat and abdominal fat in a new follow-up study.

15 Dec 2023

Light activity holds promise for combating childhood obesity

Increased sedentary time from childhood through young adulthood caused increased body fat and abdominal fat in a new follow-up study.

13 Dec 2023

Study exposes tobacco smoke's alarming impact on breast milk, elevating toxic elements

Study reveals that both active and passive tobacco smoke exposure during pregnancy or lactation significantly increases the levels of toxic micro-elements like mercury, cadmium, lead, and arsenic in breast milk, posing serious health risks to infants.

27 Nov 2023

Plant-based diets regulate gestational weight gain in early pregnancy

The study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that Iranian pregnant women adhering to plant-based diets had a lower risk of inadequate gestational weight gain, with no significant association observed between these diets and excessive gestational weight gain.

14 Nov 2023

Diet and sedentary behavior influence adiposity in obese children, study finds

The relationship between physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet quality

8 Nov 2023

Childhood obesity in England could be curbed with systematic interventions, study suggests

The potential effects of systematically delivering obesity management interventions on the prevalence of childhood obesity in England.

3 Nov 2023

New study links prenatal chemical exposure to childhood obesity trajectories

Connections between prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and the growth patterns of children's BMI.

20 Oct 2023

Prenatal exposure to EDCs linked to accelerated BMI gain in children

A new study led by researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a center supported by the "la Caixa Foundation" has shed light on the influence that Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) can have on children's growth during their early years.

18 Oct 2023

Parents alone can tackle childhood obesity just as effectively as whole-family interventions, new study shows

The study published in the International Journal of Obesity systematically reviews the effectiveness of parent-only group-based interventions for managing childhood obesity and related health behaviors. It concludes that parent-only programs are similarly effective to family-focused interventions in improving a child's weight and BMI, but highlights challenges like higher dropout rates and the need for strong family support.

15 Oct 2023

Study highlights ways to identify children at high risk of type 2 diabetes and prevention strategies

A new Journal of the Endocrine Society study highlights how to identify children at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and strategies for prevention, such as anti-obesity or anti-diabetes medication and lifestyle changes.

12 Oct 2023

Can teachers be the secret weapon in the fight against childhood obesity?

A recent study demonstrates that teachers equipped with nutrition education resources can effectively combat childhood obesity in underserved areas. The research highlights the need for professional development programs that enhance teacher well-being and self-efficacy, emphasizing their vital role as agents of change in public health.

17 Sep 2023

Experts warn of unintended consequences of using GLP-1RAs to treat childhood obesity

A team of clinicians, exercise scientists, pharmaceutical scholars, ethicists and behavioral experts at the University of California, Irvine, outlined their concerns that the use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) to treat childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes may have unintended and adverse consequences for children's health.

28 Aug 2023

Maternal obesity linked to childhood weight issues through DNA changes

Boston Birth Cohort study finds that maternal pre-pregnancy obesity alters newborn DNA methylation, potentially increasing the risk of obesity in the child. The research targets high-risk U.S. demographics and could guide future interventions for childhood obesity.

27 Aug 2023