The Promise of Early Childhood Self-Regulation for Obesity Prevention.

Abstract

* Abbreviations: IYS — : Incredible Years intervention POPS — : Preschool Obesity Prevention Series We live in an obesity-promoting environment, with ubiquitous highly palatable, energy-dense foods and easy access to reinforcing sedentary activities. To navigate through the environment unscathed by these dual threats, children need adult supervision and guidance and an ability to control temptations. The latter can be a challenge for young children, who have fully developed brain reward systems combined with still-emerging executive functions that facilitate resisting immediate temptations and focusing on longer-term goals. There is a burgeoning literature on how poor self-control in young children predicts excess growth and overweight/obesity in later childhood and into adulthood,1–3 with causal pathways supported by obesity treatment studies with older children4 and the demonstration of self-regulation–related interventions’ collateral benefits on weight.5,6 Early childhood is a sensitive period for the development of self-regulation,7 highlighting an opportunity for obesity prevention research. To date, the literature had not addressed the potential of enhancing self-regulation skills in young children with the specific goal of preventing excess weight gain. Thus, the study by Lumeng et al,8 in this issue of Pediatrics , implemented in Head Start centers … Address correspondence to Leonard H. Epstein, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Farber Hall, G-56, 3435 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14214. E-mail: lhenet{at}buffalo.edu