Incidence Of Childhood Obesity Research Articles

Association of the external environmental exposome and obesity: A comprehensive nationwide study in 2019 among Chinese children and adolescents

ObjectiveChildren and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the effects of various environmental factors, which could disrupt growth processes and potentially lead to obesity. Currently, comprehensive and systematic assessments of these environmental exposures during developmental periods are lacking. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the association between external environmental exposures and the incidence of obesity in children and adolescents. MethodsData was collected from the 2019 Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health, including 214,659 Han children aged 7 to 19. Body Mass Index (BMI) and BMI-for-age z-score (zBMI) were the metrics used to assess overweight and obesity prevalence. The study assessed 18 environmental factors, including air pollutants, natural space, land cover, meteorological conditions, built environment, road conditions, and artificial light at night. Exposome-wide association study (ExWAS) to analyze individual exposures' associations with health outcomes, and Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) to assess cumulative exposure effects. ResultsAmong the children and adolescents, there were 24.2 % participants classified as overweight or obesity. Notably, 17 out of 18 environmental factors exhibited significant associations with zBMI and overweight/obesity. Seven air pollutants, road conditions, and built density were positively correlated with higher zBMI and obesity risk, while NDVI, forests, and meteorological factors showed negative correlations. Co-exposure analysis highlighted that SO2, ALAN, PM10, and trunk road density significantly increased zBMI, whereas rainfall, grassland, and forest exposure reduced it. Theoretically reduction in the number and prevalence of cases was calculated, indicating potential reductions in prevalence of up to 4.51 % for positive exposures and 5.09 % for negative exposures. Notably, substantial reductions were observed in regions with high pollution levels. ConclusionThis large-scale investigation, encompassing various environmental exposures in schools, highlights the significant impact of air pollution, road characteristics, rainfall, and forest coverage on childhood obesity.

Association between women’s empowerment and childhood obesity in China: a generalized propensity score matching analysis

ABSTRACT This study investigates the association between women’s empowerment and childhood obesity in China using Generalized Propensity Score Matching (GPSM) Analysis. Utilizing data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), the research analyzes how varying degrees of women’s empowerment, defined by the wife’s income ratio to the couple’s total income, influence childhood obesity rates. Findings suggest an association between increased women’s empowerment and lower incidence of childhood obesity. The study also uncovers variations in the impact of women’s empowerment across different wife’s education levels and family structures. These results underscore the critical role of women’s empowerment in mitigating childhood obesity within China’s rapidly changing socio-economic landscape. This research offers valuable insights for policy interventions aimed at promoting women’s empowerment and addressing childhood obesity, highlighting a crucial link between gender dynamics and public health in contemporary China.

Trends of Obesity over Time and Its Prognostic Significance in Children and Adolescents with Newly-Diagnosed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Canada: A Population-Based Study

Introduction Childhood obesity can result in a variety of adverse health outcomes and it has been associated with inferior survival in children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). With the rising incidence of childhood obesity in Canada, we seek to assess the prevalence of obesity and its prognostic significance in children and adolescents with newly-diagnosed ALL in Canada. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Cancer in Young People in Canada (CYP-C) database, a national population-based pediatric surveillance program collecting in-depth clinical data from all cancer patients <15 years old before 2015 and <19 years old after 2015 in Canada. This study included patients aged 2 to 18 years old with newly-diagnosed ALL and treated at one of the 17 pediatric oncology centers across Canada from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2020. Obese patients were defined as patients with a body mass index (BMI) at or greater than the 95 th age and sex-adjusted percentile as per the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). Patients <2 years old were excluded given no BMI data could be derived from CDC growth charts. The main outcomes were event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). EFS was defined as time from ALL diagnosis to first event (relapse or death). OS was defined as time from ALL diagnosis to death from any cause. Patients without an event were censored at date of last contact. Predictors of obesity were explored using logistic regression. Univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare EFS and OS between patients with and without obesity. Results A total of 3458 ALL patients were included. The median BMI was 16.4 kg/m 2 (interquartile range (IQR): 15.2-18.1 kg/m 2). Eleven percent of children were obese at the time of ALL diagnosis. The prevalence of obesity significantly increased over time compared to that at ALL diagnosis: 18.9% at 1 year (p<0.0001), 25.8% at 2 years (p<0.0001), 23.3% at 3 years (p<0.0001), 21.8 % at 4 years (p<0.0001) and 20% at 5 years (p<0.0001). The prevalence of obesity did not vary according to age at diagnosis, gender, neighborhood income quintile (NIQ), ALL immunophenotype and treatment era ( Table 1). Non-Caucasian race (odds ratio (OR): 1.35 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09 -1.67]; p=0.005), presenting white blood cell (WBC) ≥ 50 x 10 9/L (OR: 1.38 [1.07 - 1.77]; p=0.01) and central nervous disease (CNS) disease (OR: 1.44 [1.10 - 1.88]; p=0.009) were significantly associated with increased risk of obesity at diagnosis. The 5-year EFS of obese patients at ALL diagnosis were significantly inferior to those of non-obese patients (85.3% vs. 90.6%; p=0.0008) ( Figure 1). The 5-year OS was 90.4% for obese vs. 94.9% for non-obese patients at diagnosis (p=0.003). The causes of death in the entire cohort were 1) related to disease (73.5%); 2) related to treatment toxicities (15.6%); and 3) due to other causes (10.9%). In univariate analysis, obese patients at ALL diagnosis had a higher risk for worse EFS (Hazard Ratio (HR) 1.76, 95% CI 1.34 - 2.32, p<0.0001)and OS (HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.41- 2.81, p<0.0001) compared to non-obese patients. In addition, age ≥ 10 years old at diagnosis, CNS disease, presenting WBC count ≥ 50x10 9/L, non-favorable cytogenetics and treatment era before 2010 were also significantly associated with worse EFS and OS in univariate analyses. In multivariable models controlling for patients' age at diagnosis, gender, presenting WBC, CNS status, NIQ, ethnicity, treatment era and ALL immunophenotype, obesity at ALL diagnosis retained independent significance with a HR of 1.67, 95% CI 1.26-2.21, p=0.0004 for EFS and a HR of 1.83, 95% CI 1.29-2.61, p=0.0008 for OS. Conclusion In this population-based study of children and adolescents with ALL in Canada, obesity was found in 11% of patients at ALL diagnosis, peaked at 2 years and remained significantly increased at 5 years from initial diagnosis. Patients with higher risk features such as WBC ≥ 50 x 10 9/L and CNS disease were more likely to be obese at diagnosis. Nevertheless, obesity at ALL diagnosis remained independently associated with inferior EFS and OS even after adjustment for these high-risk features. More mechanistic studies are needed to better understand the relationship between obesity and outcome to inform future trial designs.

Postnatal feeding with high-fat combined with high-glucose diet induces precocious puberty in Sprague‒Dawley rat pups

With economic development and overnutrition, including high-fat diets (HFD) and high-glucose diets (HGD), the incidence of obesity in children is increasing, and thus, the incidence of precocious puberty is increasing. Therefore, it is of great importance to construct a suitable animal model of overnutrition-induced precocious puberty for further in-depth study. Here, we fed a HFD, HGD, or HFD combined with a HGD to pups after P-21 weaning, while weaned pups fed a normal diet served as the control group. The results showed that HFD combined with a HGD increased the body weight (BW) of weaned rat pups. In addition, a HFD, HGD, and HFD combined with a HGD lowered the age at which vaginal opening occurred and accelerated the vaginal cell cycle. Furthermore, a HFD combined with a HGD increased the weight of the uterus and ovaries of weaned rat pups. Additionally, a HFD combined with a HGD promoted the development of reproductive organs in weaned female rat pups. Ultimately, a HFD combined with a HGD was found to elevate the serum levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), leptin, adiponectin, and oestradiol (E2) and increase hypothalamic GnRH, Kiss-1, and GPR54 expression levels in weaned female rat pups. The current study found that overnutrition, such as that through a HFD combined with HGD, could induce precocious puberty in weaned female rat pups. In addition, a rat model of overnutrition-induced precocious puberty was established.

Obesity Increases Risk for Wound Complications After Pediatric Foot Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Review Using the NSQIP-Pediatric Database.

As the incidence of childhood obesity continues to rise, so too does the number of obese children who undergo foot surgery. As the childhood obesity epidemic rolls on, pediatric orthopaedic surgeons will encounter obese patients with even greater frequency. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the risks associated with obesity is valuable to maximize patient safety. The purpose of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the relationship between obesity and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing pediatric foot surgery across multiple institutions using a large national database. Pediatric patients who had undergone foot surgery were retrospectively identified using the American College of Surgeons 2012-2017 Pediatric National Surgical Quality Improvement (ACS-NSQIP-Pediatric) database by cross-referencing reconstructive foot-specific CPT codes with ICD-9/ICD-10 diagnosis codes. Center for Disease Control BMI-to-age growth charts were used to stratify patients into normal-weight and obese cohorts. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to describe and assess outcomes in obese compared with normal-weight patients. Of the 3924 patients identified, 1063 (27.1%) were obese. Compared with normal-weight patients, obese patients were more often male (64.7% vs. 58.7%; P =0.001) and taller (56.3 vs. 51.3 inches; P <0.001). Obese patients had significantly higher rates of overall postoperative complications (3.01% vs. 1.32%; P =0.001) and wound dehiscence (1.41% vs. 0.59%; P =0.039). Multivariate analysis found that obesity was an independent predictor of both wound dehiscence [adjusted odds ratio (OR)=2.16; 95% CI=1.05-4.50; P =0.037] and surgical site infection (adjusted OR=3.03; 95% CI=1.39-6.61; P =0.005). Subgroup analysis of patients undergoing clubfoot capsular release procedures identified that obese patients had a higher rate of wound dehiscence (3.39% vs. 0.51%; P =0.039) compared with normal-weight patients. In multivariate analysis, obesity was an independent predictor of dehiscence (adjusted OR=5.71; 95% CI=1.46-22.31; P =0.012) in this procedure group. There were no differences in complication rates between obese and normal-weight patients in a subgroup analysis of tarsal coalition procedures or clubfoot tibialis anterior tendon transfer procedures. Obese children undergoing foot surgery had higher overall complication rates, wound complications, and surgical site infections compared with children of normal weight. As the incidence of childhood obesity continues to rise, this information may be useful in assessing and discussing surgical risks with patients and their families. III.

Associations Between Gestational Weight Gain, Gestational Diabetes, and Childhood Obesity Incidence.

Excessive maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) is strongly correlated with childhood obesity, yet how excess maternal weight gain and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) interact to affect early childhood obesity is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether overall and trimester-specific maternal GWG and GDM were associated with obesity in offspring by age 6 years. A cohort of 10,335 maternal-child dyads was established from electronic health records. Maternal weights at conception and delivery were estimated from weight trajectory fits using functional principal components analysis. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression, together with generalized raking, examined time-to-childhood-obesity. Obesity diagnosed prior to age 6 years was estimated at 19.7% (95% CI: 18.3, 21.1). Maternal weight gain during pregnancy was a strong predictor of early childhood obesity (p < 0.0001). The occurrence of early childhood obesity was lower among mothers with GDM compared with those without diabetes (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.58, p = 0.014). There was no interaction between maternal weight gain and GDM (p = 0.55). Higher weight gain during the first trimester was associated with lower risk of early childhood obesity (p = 0.0002) whereas higher weight gain during the second and third trimesters was associated with higher risk (p < 0.0001). Results indicated total and trimester-specific maternal weight gain was a strong predictor of early childhood obesity, though obesity risk by age 6 was lower for children of mothers with GDM. Additional research is needed to elucidate underlying mechanisms directly related to trimester-specific weight gain and GDM that impede or protect against obesity prevalence during early childhood.

Unique problems of pneumonia in obese children: a literature review

Background: Obesity in children has its impact when the child experiences infectious conditions common in childhood, such as pneumonia. The increasing incidence of obesity in children in the last three decades forms the basis for compiling this review article. This review article aims to provide current insights about the impact of obesity on respiratory physiology, inflammatory conditions in pneumonia, and drug pharmacodynamics. Methods: This literature review uses the latest literature relevant to matters affecting pneumonia management and clinical approach in children with obesity. This literature was obtained from various sources of other scientific literature. Results: Obesity affects the respiratory physiology of children to collapse more easily, energy use becomes less efficient, children become tired, and hypoxemia occurs easily. Obesity also increases the degree and ease of inflammation in pneumonia and affects the pharmacodynamics of several drugs commonly used to manage pneumonia. Conclusion: Management of pneumonia in children with obesity requires vigilance and more stringent monitoring and adjustment of drug doses.

Implications of lifestyle changes on the incidence of childhood obesity - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Childhood obesity, which is currently at epidemic levels, is the most prevalent chronic condition affecting young people's health worldwide. Along with the rise in juvenile obesity, illnesses like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and fatty liver disease have become more prevalent in kids. Hence, through this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to determine the lifestyle changes that would have the most impact on the incidence of childhood obesity. The databases of PubMed-MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus were searched using keywords, such as "BMI", "childhood obesity", "lifestyle changes" and "nutritional intervention" and 482 documents were found overall after a thorough search of the online journals; 169 of them were first chosen. Only 58 original papers were left after 111 articles that were duplicates or exact copies of one another were eliminated. 12 studies were ultimately picked because they met the necessary inclusion and exclusion requirements. Reducing overall caloric intake and dietary factors specific to the child's parents were two of the most frequent impact factors on obesity levels, closely followed by physical activity levels and a sedentary lifestyle. The dietary intervention had the most positive results in modifying obesity-related dietary risk factors for obese children and adolescents in the majority of the studies. An overall balanced diet, parental awareness pertaining to BMI and physical activity in children were the three major factors influencing a child's obesity levels. However, more studies are needed in this regard so as to ascertain a complete, holistic treatment plan that can further validate the implementation of our findings.

Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Sleep Duration, Exercise, and Family Income on Obesity in Children

Background: Obesity is still one of the problems in Indonesia. The obesity problem has grown into an epidemic, with more than 4 million people dying each year. Factors causing obesity such as lifestyle, lack of physical activity, poor diet habits, low family income, sleep duration, and others. This study aims to estimate the effect of sleep duration, exercise, and family income on obesity in children. Subjects and Method: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using PRISMA guidelines and the PICO model. Population= children of 2-18 years. Intervention= short sleep duration, exercise, and high family income. Comparison= long sleep duration, no exercise, and low family income. Outcome= Obesity. Articles were collected from databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, and ResearchGate. The literature search used the keywords “family income" AND “exercise” AND "sleep duration" AND “obesity” AND “children” AND "cross-sectional". A total of 19 articles met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis, and subsequently were assessed using RevMan 5.4. Results: A meta-analysis of studies from Japan, Korea, Ethiopia, China, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Ghana showed that children with short sleep duration (aOR= 1.83; CI 95%= 1.22 to 2.73; p= o.003), children with high family income (aOR= 1.18; CI 95%= 1.03 to 1.36; p= 0.020) could increase the incidence of obesity, and those results were statistically significant. Exercise can reduce the incidence of obesity in children, but this risk of reduction was not statistically significant (aOR= 0.80; CI 95%= 0.59 to 1.09; p= 0.15o). Conclusion: Short sleep duration and high family income increase the incidence of obesity in children, and these results are statistically significant. Exercise decreases the incidence of obesity in children, but the risk of decline is not statistically significant. Keywords: family income, exercise, sleep duration, obesity, children Correspondence: Hanifah. Master’s Program in Public Health, Universitas Sebelas Maret. Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A, Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia. Email: hanifah1611@gmail.com. Mobile: +6281226829788.

The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Sleep Duration on The Incidence of Obesity in Children under Five in Central Jakarta and The Review of Islamic Perspective

Introduction: The excessive buildup of fat, known as obesity, can negatively affect health. In 2020, there will be 38.9 million overweight children under the age of five worldwide. 7.8% of toddlers in DKI Jakarta are fat, compared to 7.04% in central Jakarta. A variety of factors cause obesity. The two most important factors are insufficient sleep time and physical exercise. Methodology: This type of research is quantitative with a cross-sectional design. The study population was toddlers in Sawah Besar District, Central Jakarta, a total of 70 people. Results: The results showed that 33 people (47.1%) were ordinary, four people (5.7%) were at risk of being overweight, three people (4.3%) were fat, and 30 people (42.9%) were obese. Moderate physical activity was found in 15 people (50%) normal and 15 people (50%) obese. At the same time, physical activity is less, with as many as 18 people (45%) ordinary and 22 people (55%) obese. Found adequate sleep duration in 21 people (63.648%) were ordinary, and 12 (36.36%) were obese. At the same time, the rest period is seen in as many as 12 people (32.43%) normal and 25 people (67.57%) obese. P=0.810 and p=0.016 show differences in physical activity and sleep duration in obese toddlers. Conclusion: In toddlers in the Sawah Besar District of Central Jakarta, there is a meaningful association between sleep duration and the incidence of obesity (p=0.016) and no relationship between physical activity and the incidence of obesity (p=0.810) with an Odd Ratio value of 1.222.

The Relationship of Sedentary Behavior and Sleep Duration to The Incidence of Obesity in Children under Five in Central Jakarta and The Review of Islamic Perspective

Introduction: Children under five should have their nutritional status checked regularly due to their susceptibility to diseases and nutritional problems. Inappropriate or excessive accumulation of fat, called obesity, can jeopardize their health. Assessment of nutritional status in obese toddlers can use anthropometric standards that are converted into Z-score values based on IMT/U with the category of obesity if the Z-score value is &gt; +3 SD. Sedentary behaviour is when a person spends sitting or lying down with low energy expenditure outside sleep. Children and adolescents with high sedentary behaviour are prone to an increase in adipocytes that cause obesity. Children aged 3-5 years with poor sleep duration (&lt;10 hours/day) are at greater risk of obesity. Methods: This type of research is quantitative with a cross-sectional design. The sample of this study was 70 children aged 2-5 years in Sawah Besar District, who were included in the inclusion criteria. Results: Out of 70 toddlers in Central Jakarta, 37 people (52.9%) were obese, and 33 (47.1%) were ordinary. Based on the results of statistical tests using the Chi-Square test, the p-value is &lt;0.05, which can be concluded that there is a relationship between sedentary behaviour and obesity and a relationship between sleep duration and obesity. Conclusion: The research results show a significant relationship (p 0.03) between sedentary behaviour and obesity, with an Odd Ratio value of 3.137. There is also a meaningful relationship (p 0.016) between sleep duration and obesity, with an Odd Ratio value of 3.646 in Sawah Besar District, Central Jakarta toddlers.

Progress in research of etiology of childhood obesity based on interaction between genes and environment

Childhood obesity is a global public health problem, which can not only endangers children's health, but also might be an important cause of chronic diseases in adulthood. In recent years, with the in-depth development of precision medicine research, more and more research evidences have shown that there are interactions between environmental factors, such as early intrauterine environment, children's diet, physical activity and children's gene factor on the incidence of childhood obesity, which can result in or inhibit the incidence and development of childhood obesity. This paper summarizes the progress in research in this field to reveal the effects and potential mechanisms of genetic factors and environmental factors on the incidence of childhood obesity in order to provide reference for the precise prevention and control of childhood obesity under different genetic backgrounds.

Relationship between obesity related indicators and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The incidence of childhood obesity is increasing. There is some controversy about the association between overweight and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children. This article intends to compare the differences in these obesity related parameters between NAFLD children and healthy control children through meta-analysis to provide evidence-based medical evidence for clinical use. The literature were extracted from English and Chinese databases. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata/SE 16.0, IBM SPSS Statistics 26, and Review Manager 5.4 software. A total of 15 original case control studies were included, including 12 high-quality literature, 3 medium quality literature. The total sample size included in the analysis was 1,595 children, including 824 in the experimental group and 771 in the control group. The results of meta-analysis showed that the body mass index (BMI) of the NAFLD group was significantly higher than that of the control group [mean difference (MD) =1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.36-1.73]. Waist circumference of the NAFLD group was significantly larger than that of the control group (MD =1.66, 95% CI: 0.60-2.73). Triglyceride level in the NAFLD group was significantly higher than that in the control group (MD =1.08, 95% CI: 0.05-2.12). Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level in the NAFLD group was significantly higher than that in the control group (MD =0.49, 95% CI: 0.12-0.85). In addition, fasting blood glucose of the NAFLD group was significantly higher than that of the control group (MD =0.31, 95% CI: 0.09-0.54) and insulin resistance index of the NAFLD group was significantly higher than that of the control group (MD =2.95, 95% CI: 1.41-4.49). Exercise had a significant effect on improving the degree of NAFLD in children [odds ratio (OR) =2.51, 95% CI: 1.83-3.43]. Various physical indicators were related to obesity, including BMI, waist circumference, triglyceride content, LDL, fasting blood glucose, and insulin resistance index, and all were significantly correlated with NAFLD in children, provided a reference for future clinical diagnosis and treatment work. In addition, exercise could significantly improve the degree of steatosis in children with NAFLD.

Early-life exposure to di (2-ethyl-hexyl) phthalate: Role in children with endocrine disorders.

Di (2-ethyl-hexyl) phthalate (DEHP), one of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), has widespread concern due to its serious health hazards. Exposure to DEHP in the early stage of life affects fetal metabolic and endocrine function, which even would cause genetic lesions. To date, it is widely believed that the increasing incidence of childhood obesity and diabetes in adolescents is related to the impact of DEHP on glucose and lipid homeostasis in children. However, there remains a knowledge gap to recognize these adverse effects. Thus, in this review, besides the exposure routes and levels of DEHP, we further outline the effects of early-life exposure to DEHP on children and potential mechanisms, focusing on the aspect of metabolic and endocrine homeostasis.

Diet, physical activity and obesity incidence in adolescents with disabilities

Introduction: Nutrients are related to the growth and development of children. In addition to nutrition, physical activity is no less important in the process of child growth and development that can be carried out in the home or school environment. Children with disabilities sometimes can’t get the optimum nutrients required for their body and it is hard to do physical activities. It is necessary to study eating patterns and physical activities and the incidence of obesity in children with disabilities. The purpose of the study was to determine the description of eating patterns, physical activity and the incidence of obesity in children with disabilities. Methods: The research method used was a quantitative design with a cross sectional approach. Subjects were recruited by purposive sampling technique. Diet was determined by a food frequency questionnaire. Physical activity was measured by the standard Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Univariate analysis was used to describe the distribution of frequency and percentage. Bivariate analysis was used to determine the relationship of diet and physical activity with the incidence of obesity. Results: The result is that 50% of Bangunputra Special Educational Needs (SEN) School’s students are obese, 25% are normal, and 25% tend to be thin. The eating pattern of students with disabilities resulted in 43.8% being balanced and the remaining 56.2% consuming excessively on staple foods. In physical activity, 45.2% did physical activity and the remaining 54.5% did not do physical activity. Low physical activity can be caused by children with autism who have motor disorders that can affect them. Parenting patterns are related to socio-economic status, because the majority of parents of Bangunputra SEN School students do not restrain or limit any child's wishes. Conclusion: The results showed that the incidence of obesity in children with disabilities is related to the knowledge of eating patterns and physical activity. Parents and the school environment play an essential role in providing better care for people with disabilities.

Динамика частоты ожирения у детей, проживающих в условиях длительного военного конфликта

Objective. To study the dynamics of the frequency of obesity in children living in conditions of a long-term military conflict in the Donbass. Materials and methods. The analysis of 2,725 outpatient cards of children studying in educational schools in Donetsk was carried out. The dynamics of the obesity rate over 10 years (2013, 2018, 2023) among children living in conditions of a long-term military conflict was estimatedResults. Analysis of the results of preventive medical examination of Donetsk schoolchildren in 2023 allowed us to establish a significant increase in the incidence of obesity in children, which amounted to 18.7%, which was statistically significantly (p &lt; 0.01) higher compared to the same indicator in 2013 (10.5%) and 2018 (13.2%). At the same time, in the group of children of primary school age, obesity was diagnosed in 21.2%, which was statistically significantly (p &lt; 0.01) more than in children of senior school age – 15.9%. Conclusion. Thus, the beginning of active hostilities in Donbass and the associated lifestyle changes can be considered as a factor of increasing of obesity among school-age children. At the same time, restrictive measures related to changes in the living conditions of the children’s population of Donbass have greater impact on the development of obesity in children of primary school age relative to older children. Key words: obesity, military conflict, Donbass

Maternal Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and the Risk of Early Childhood Obesity in Female Offspring: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

To investigate the relationship between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in Korean women and childhood growth and obesity of their offspring. This longitudinal case-control study using the Korean National Health Insurance claims database and the National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children database included women who delivered singletons between January 2007 and December 2008. Offspring's body mass index (BMI) measurements taken between 42 and 80 months of age were compared according to a maternal history of PCOS. Among a total of 131,805 participants, 1,213 women had a history of PCOS and 130,592 women did not. Female offspring aged 66-80 months born to women with PCOS had significantly higher BMI than those born to women without PCOS; there was no significant difference in that of male offspring regardless of maternal PCOS. In the generalized estimating equation and multivariable logistic regression analyses, the female offspring born to women with PCOS had a significantly higher risk of obesity during the age of 42-54 and 66-80 months (odds ratio [OR], 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-2.21 and OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.05-2.15, respectively), than those born to women without PCOS, after adjusting for several confounding factors. Maternal PCOS is independently associated with an increased incidence of childhood obesity in female offspring among Korean women. Women with PCOS should consider the risk of early childhood obesity in their daughters, even if they maintain a healthy weight themselves.

Disparities in Childhood Obesity Prevalence and Spatial Clustering Related to Socioeconomic Factors in Isaan, Thailand.

Globally, rapid economic growth has contributed to an overall increase in the incidence of childhood obesity. Although the prevalence of obesity has been well recognized, the disparities related to a region's socioeconomic environment in terms of the incidence of obesity are still less understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the spatial pattern of childhood obesity and identify the potential associations between childhood obesity and socioeconomic environment in the northeastern region of Thailand, Isaan. Using nationally collected obesity data from children aged 0-5 years in 2019, we employed a geographic information system (GIS) to perform obesity cluster analysis at the smaller regional level, investigating a total of 322 districts in study area. Global and local statistical approaches were applied to calculate spatial associations between the socioeconomic status of neighborhoods and childhood obesity. The study revealed that 12.42% of the total area showed significant clusters at the district level, with high values observed in the western and northeastern areas. The results of the spatial statistical model revealed that childhood obesity was significantly positively associated with areas exhibiting high levels of socioeconomic environment factors. Identifying the associated factors and highlighting geographic regions with significant spatial clusters is a powerful approach towards understanding the role of location and expanding the knowledge on the factors contributing to childhood obesity. Our findings, as a first step, offer valuable references that could support policy-makers and local authorities in enhancing policy development with the aim of reducing childhood obesity and improving public health.

Obesity in the Pediatric Population of the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS), USA.

The incidence of childhood obesity has received a lot of attention lately, especially in the United States. The increased prevalence of pediatric obesity and its association with comorbidities has piqued the attention of more scientists in the epidemic's patterns. Our research examined the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS) data set for hospitalized persons aged 18 years or younger with primary or secondary obesity between 2016 and 2019 to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and related diseases. We retrospectively examined individuals with primary or secondary obesity from 2016 to 2019 using the NIS database. To extract the weighted samples, we utilized the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 diagnostic codes E66, E660, E6601, E6609, E662, E668, and E669. Individuals with drug-related obesity or obesity caused by a recognized pathologic disease unrelated to high-calorie intake were excluded. First, we queried the total population, then separated them by age category and picked our population of interest, i.e., those aged 18 and under. The NIS is a deidentified database available to the public. It collects data on around 8 million hospitalizations annually, accounting for roughly 20% of all admissions in the United States. Results: The findings show that between 2016 and 2019, prevalence rates of childhood obesity were still on the rise and plateaued in 2019. There were 28,484,087 study subjects in this weighted sample between 2016 and 2019. Of these, 13.9% (3,946,889) were diagnosed with obesity. The sample population for those 18 years of age or under was 62,669 (1.5%) children with obesity with a mean age of 14 (SD = 4). Also, there was a 64.2% female preponderance. The obtained yearly showed a steady and significant rise from 2016 to 2018 (24% vs. 26%), with a slight decline in 2019 (25%; p < 0.001). Even though the white population had the highest overall prevalence of childhood obesity (40.9%), the Hispanic and black people had a higher prevalence per population, with a 0.5% and 0.33% prevalence, respectively, compared to 0.14% in the white population (p < 0.0001). When geographical regions were considered, south had the highest rate (36.40%), followed by the west (24.71%) and the midwest (23.56%). The analysis also showed that people with lower median household income (0-25th percentile) had the highest rate of childhood obesity (38.17%) compared to higher-income earners (13.19%). In our finding, obesity in the pediatric population is still increasing, continuing on its previously recorded trajectory. Various recommendations from health policymakers have bolstered efforts to tackle this escalating pandemic. However, additional information on the compliance, use, and adherence to these policies by healthcare professionals and members of the public, as well as the consequence of utilization or compliance to these guidelines, is needed. Nevertheless, given the continuous growth of childhood obesity, despite the avalanche of these recommendations, the issue of compliance arises, or other essential risk factors might have been overlooked. Additional studies may be needed to unmask this looming phenomenon.

Association of decreases in PM2.5 levels due to the implementation of environmental protection policies with the incidence of obesity in adolescents: A prospective cohort study

AimsTo explore the association between decreased levels of particulate matter (≤2.5 µm; PM2.5) due to the implementation of environmental protection policies and the incidence of obesity in adolescents in Chongqing, China through a prospective cohort study. MethodsA total of 2105 children (52.02% male; aged 7.33 ± 0.60 years at baseline) were enrolled from the Chongqing Children’s Health Cohort. A mixed linear regression model was used to analyse the relationships of PM2.5 levels with obesity indicators after adjusting for covariates. Additionally, a Poisson regression model was used to determine the relationship between PM2.5 exposure and the incidence of overweight/obesity. ResultsThe average PM2.5 exposure levels from participant conception to 2014, from 2015 to 2017, and from 2018 to 2019 were 66.64 ± 5.33 μg/m3, 55.49 ± 3.78 μg/m3, and 42.50 ± 1.87 μg/m3, respectively; these levels significantly decreased over time (P < 0.001). Throughout the entire follow-up period, the incidence of overweight/obesity after a ≥ 25 μg/m3 decrease in the PM2.5 level was 4.57% among females; this incidence was the lowest among females who experienced remarkable decreases in PM2.5 exposure. A 1-µg/m3 decrease in the PM2.5 level significantly decreased the body mass index (BMI), BMI z score (BMIz), and weight of adolescents (all P < 0.001). Compared with a < 20-μg/m3 decrease in the PM2.5 level, a ≥ 25-μg/m3 decrease protected against increased BMI (net difference= −0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI]: (−1.23,−0.63) kg/m2), BMIz (−0.28 (−0.39, −0.17)), weight (−1.59 (−2.44, −0.74) kg), and incidence of overweight/obesity (0.48 (0.37, 0.62), P < 0.001). Moreover, compared with a < 20-μg/m3 decrease in the PM2.5 level, a ≥ 25-μg/m3 decrease resulted in significant absolute differences in BMI (−1.26 (−1.56, −0.96) kg/m2), BMIz (−0.53 (−0.65, −0.40)) and weight (−3.01 (−3.8, −2.19) kg) (all P < 0.001). ConclusionsThis study showed the etiological relevance of declining PM2.5 concentrations for the incidence of obesity in children and adolescents, suggesting that controlling ambient air pollutants may prevent the development of obesity in this age group. Continuous implementation of environmental protection policies in China has led to substantial health benefits.