Quercetin inhibits adipogenesis and promotes adipose tissue remodeling through lipophagy-mediated lipid droplet (LD) clearance.

Ubiquitin-like modifications in adipose tissue development and obesity: New insights.

Association of hospitalization costs with demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle characteristics: Population-based study in Sao Paulo city, Brazil, 2003-2015.

Tackling childhood obesity represents a significant public health challenge associated with several adverse health and psychological outcomes, with increased prevalence in ethnically diverse populations. Early intervention is required to promote healthy weight from early childhood and reduce health inequalities. A systematic review was conducted to synthesise evidence from randomised trials of behavioural interventions that target obesity prevention among young ethnic minority children aged 0-5 years in high-income countries. Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus and PubMed were searched for articles published between 1995 and 2023 to examine the theoretical and cultural adaptation strategies associated with the most effective interventions. A narrative synthesis using SWiM guidelines was conducted to summarise the data. Forty-four articles reporting on thirty-eight unique RCT intervention studies are reported. Around one-third of the interventions resulted in a difference in weight, which favoured the intervention when compared to the control. Behavioural interventions that utilise deep and tailored cultural adaptation strategies may be more effective in changing dietary practices and weight outcomes but may be less important in increasing physical activity levels. The theoretical domains and behaviour change techniques associated with the most promising success are reported. Collaborative partnerships with diverse families alongside wider community stakeholders may offer a more effective solution to ensure obesity prevention interventions remain tailored to the local context and provide sustainable solutions that can deliver increased impact.

Conditions Attributable to Obesity in Older Adults in the U.S.: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Genes play a pivotal role in appetite regulation and energy homeostasis during a person's obesity. LEP (Leptin) and POMC (Proopiomelanocortin) are vital for appetite suppression and promoting satiety, while AgRP (Agouti-related peptide) and NPY (Neuropeptide Y) serve to stimulate appetite, creating a balanced interplay between hunger and satiety signals. GHRL (Ghrelin) further promotes hunger, emphasizing the complexity of these regulatory mechanisms. BDNF (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor) shows a dual role, impacting energy homeostasis not only in the brain but also in adipose tissue, thereby influencing lipid metabolism. PCSK1 (Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 1) is critical for the processing of neuropeptides that modulate energy balance. IGF2BP2 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 mRNA-Binding Protein 2) and MAP2K5 (Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 5) contribute to metabolic processes involved in fat accumulation and glucose regulation. Thus, emphasizing the significance of these mechanisms offers valuable insights that could lead to effective interventions for obesity prevention and management.

In recent decades, there have been concurrent secular trends in decreasing age at menarche and increasing prevalence of obesity. To describe temporal trends and age-period-cohort effects in the association between age at menarche and adult BMI using population-representative data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 1999-2018). Self-identified female participants ≥ 18 years completed a Reproductive Health Questionnaire and physical examination. Age at menarche (continuous, years) was self-reported, and body mass index (BMI) (continuous, kg/m2) was calculated using measured height and weight. Age at menarche and adult BMI were characterised using descriptive statistics by age (at the time of the survey), period (NHANES data collection cycle), and birth cohort (10-year intervals). Linear regression was used to assess the association between age at menarche and adult BMI, overall and stratified according to age, period and cohort. Of 23,923 NHANES participants ≥ 18 years between 1999 and 2018, mean adult BMI was greatest among individuals who self-reported age at menarche ≤ 11 years (30.9 kg/m2 ± 8.1). Mean adult BMI was highest among individuals with earlier ages at menarche across age, period, and cohort. In linear regression analyses, there were greater increases in adult BMI per 1-year decrease in age at menarche among individuals who reported earlier ages at menarche (β 1.80 kg/m2, 95% CI 1.44, 2.16), with larger associations among younger age groups and recent birth cohorts. The present work characterises secular trends in decreasing age at menarche and increasing obesity prevalence to demonstrate age and cohort effects in the association between age at menarche and adult BMI. Identification of these age and cohort effects helps detect populations at risk and informs obesity prevention strategies, highlighting age at menarche as a valuable early-life indicator of obesity risk across the life course.

Meal satisfaction is considered a multidimensional concept that includes sensory enjoyment, cognitive, emotional, and physiological components and relates to contentment with the meal experience as a whole. However, its relevance to eating behavior and body weight remains unclear, especially in children. The present review investigated the potential relationship between meal satisfaction-related constructs and childhood obesity, and whether this relation is shaped by individual factors and the external environment. Seventeen eligible studies from 350 records published between 2008 and 2024 were included. No study directly assessed meal satisfaction; instead, proxy measures were used. Food enjoyment emerged as the proxy most consistently associated with BMI, often clustering with higher food responsiveness, lower satiety responsiveness, and emotional overeating. Parental feeding practices, especially pressure to eat, significantly contributed to variation in children's eating behavior and were associated with lower food enjoyment. Overall, meal satisfaction could be a key aspect to consider in childhood obesity prevention programs. However, to date, the available evidence is heterogeneous and predominantly observational. Future longitudinal and intervention studies are needed, alongside child-appropriate instruments to objectively quantify food satisfaction in children. Research that helps understand the role of contextual eating factors on children's meal satisfaction and eating behavior is also warranted.

D-Tagatose is a low-calorie rare sugar with glycemic control and obesity prevention benefits, making it a promising functional sweetener. One-step epimerization of D-fructose to D-tagatose by D-tagatose 4-epimerase (T4E) is an attractive approach, but current T4Es suffer from low activity and poor thermostability. To address this, a novel T4E from the Thermoproteales archaeon (TaDt4e) was identified and engineered. A truncation variant Δ104-123 increased activity by 76.9%, and directed evolution produced the double mutant S46A/I113M with a 153.8% increase over wild-type enzyme. Using 100 g/L D-fructose, whole-cell biotransformation with S46A/I113M achieved 12.1% conversion within 10 min, and the purified enzyme reached 23.8% within 90 min. These results show that coordinated engineering of noncatalytic and active-site regions can substantially improve the catalytic performance of TaDt4e. This study not only identifies TaDt4e as a promising candidate for D-tagatose production, but also provides insights into the semirational or rational engineering of T4Es and related enzymes.

Determinants of obesity: The role of sociodemographic factors, health behaviors, and quality of life in Spanish workers.

Adolescent obesity in the digital age: navigating risks and opportunities.

Obesity is a significant public health concern worldwide, particularly among older adults. Understanding the prevalence and predictors of obesity in specific regions is crucial for developing targeted interventions. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of obesity and its associated comorbidities among older adults in Bisha Province, Saudi Arabia, and to identify significant predictors of obesity in this population. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 437 older adults aged 60 years and above attending primary healthcare centers in Bisha Province. Data were collected using structured questionnaires covering sociodemographic characteristics, behavioral factors, health status, and anthropometric measurements. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and logistic regression models were used for data analysis. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 74.8%, with 42.8% classified as preobese, and 32% as obese. Significant predictors of obesity included female gender, rural residence, lack of exercise, and the presence of comorbidities such as hypertension, heart disease, and dyslipidemia. Males were less likely to be in higher obesity categories compared to females (B = -0.932, P < .001). Rural residents had a higher likelihood of obesity compared to urban dwellers (B = 0.601, P < .001). Interestingly, individuals without exercise were less likely to be obese (B = -1.916, P < .001), which warrants further investigation. The high prevalence of obesity among older adults in Bisha Province underscores the need for targeted public health interventions. Addressing the significant predictors identified in this study can help in designing effective strategies for obesity prevention and management in this population.

Childhood obesity may have a negative impact on bone mineral properties, with unclear underlying mechanisms. We investigated the relationship of adipocytokine imbalance to bone mineral properties in adolescence, and sex related differences. A cohort of 501 pubertal Hispanic youth (47% male), 10-19 years of age underwent assessment of body composition, bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) by DXA; fasting glucose, insulin, estradiol, testosterone, leptin, and adiponectin concentrations. HOMA-IR and leptin to adiponectin ratio (LAR) were calculated. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) as reflected by VO2 max was measured using a treadmill ramp protocol. LAR was higher in youth with obesity and with overweight compared with normal weight. LAR negatively contributed to the variance in BMC (β = -0.096, p = 0.001) (R2 = 0.887, p < 0.001) together and independently of HOMA-IR, sex steroids, and CRF. This relationship persisted in males but weakened in females when the 2 sexes were examined separately. Similar findings were seen with BMD as the dependent variable. LAR has a negative relationship with BMC and BMD in pubertal youth, with a more notable adverse relationship in males. This suggests that adipocytokine dysregulation may contribute to the adverse effects of childhood obesity on bone mineral properties, with sex-differences related tobody fat topography. Childhood obesity associated adipokine imbalance, as reflected by leptin to adiponectin ratio, has a negative relationship with bone mineral content and density in adolescence. This adverse relationship is more notable in males compared with females. These findings contribute to our understanding of the complex effects of obesity on bone mineral content and density in children and adolescents. The findings emphasize the importance of prevention and management of youth-onset obesity to prevent metabolic complications and their impact on skeletal health.

Higher intakes of total and animal-source protein during infancy have been associated with higher body mass index (BMI) z scores in childhood. We examined the association of substituting protein with fat or carbohydrate intake, and the substitution of protein subtypes at 9 months of age with BMI z-scores and overweight status in children at 5 years of age. This study involved a secondary analysis of data from the Melbourne InFANT program, a 15-month infancy obesity prevention intervention, with additional follow-ups conducted without intervention when children were aged 3.5 and 5 years. Data of 345 children who completed the 9-month, and 5-year follow-ups were analysed. Dietary intake at 9 months was assessed using three 24-h recalls. BMI z-score was measured at 9 months and 5 years of age. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models with adjustment for potential confounders examined the associations between macronutrient and protein subtype substitutions at 9 months and changes in BMI z-score or overweight status at 5 years. Substitution of 5%E or 100 kJ protein intake with carbohydrate intake at age 9 months was associated with a 0.16-unit (95% CI: -0.30, -0.02) or 0.11-unit (95% CI: -0.19, -0.03) decrease in BMI z-score at 5 years. Similarly, replacing 5%E or 100 kJ of protein intake with fat intake was associated with a 0.16-unit (95% CI: -0.29, -0.02) or 0.11-unit (95% CI: -0.19, -0.03) decrease in BMI z-score. There was no evidence of an association between substitution of protein with fat or carbohydrate intake and overweight status (P > 0.05). Replacement of animal protein with plant or dairy protein was also not significantly associated with BMI z-score or overweight status. Substituting protein with carbohydrate or fat intake in infancy was inversely associated with BMI z-score in early childhood. The present study supports the need to discourage excessive protein intake during infancy.

Obesity prevention guidelines have stressed the importance of utilizing each patient-physician encounter towards delivering effective weight reduction, exercise, and dietary counseling during patient encounters. The objective of this study was to understand the prevalence and predictors of weight, exercise, and dietary counseling for obese adults using a nationally representative data. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (2011-2018), of obese patients aged ≥ 18years who had an office visit. Outcomes were receipt of weight reduction, exercise, dietary, any, and all counseling. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify demographic, clinical, and practice-related predictors. Sampling weights were used to generate national estimates. An estimated 289,667,549 office visits were found among obese adults during the study period. Nearly 21.5% of these office visits had weight reduction advice, 24.5% exercise counseling, 33.9% dietary counseling, 40.1% any counseling, and 12.2% all three counseling. Logistic regression analysis showed that the odds of receiving any type of advice were significantly higher among Blacks (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.11-1.85), Hispanics (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.03-2.14), those with hyperlipidemia (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.45-2.29), chronic problems (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.44-2.35), and those seeking preventive care (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.28-2.18), whereas lower among those who were ≥ 65years (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.49-0.95). The odds of receiving all types of advice were significantly higher among Hispanics (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.09-3.73), those with chronic problems (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.41-2.84), and those seeking preventive care (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.21-2.56), and those whose physicians were also their primary care providers (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.21-3.53). Weight-related counseling remains infrequent in US primary care settings, particularly for older adults and those with comorbidities. Strengthening patient-provider relationships and targeting identified gaps could improve obesity management.

Wrist-worn accelerometer measured sleep fragmentation and obesity risk: Socioeconomic gradients and mediation by allostatic load.

Pennington Biomedical Research Center convened a scientific symposium in March-April 2025, which brought together leaders in dissemination and implementation science to identify what is known and what is needed to foster the rapid dissemination and implementation of evidence-based, guideline-backed pediatric obesity prevention and treatment interventions. The primary aim of the symposium was to identify effective dissemination and implementation strategies, contextual factors related to strategy selection, and mechanisms of successful intervention reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. Through this symposium, the overarching goal was to accelerate the rate of translation of evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of pediatric obesity into practice while advancing dissemination and implementation science in settings including health care, schools, and the community. This article summarizes the state of the scientific evidence discussed at the symposium, identifiesexemplars of implementation-effectiveness trials, and provides recommendations for disseminating and implementing evidence-based pediatric obesity prevention and treatment interventions into typical clinical and community settings.

Participatory system dynamics (SD) approaches view public health problems as the result of a complex system of interactions. However, most public health research makes a direct leap from system mapping-often through causal loop diagrams (CLDs)-to identifying actions for change, without trying to understand the behaviour of the system as a whole and how actions could intervene. This is possibly because robust methods are lacking. This study aimed to explore whether 'systems archetypes' can bridge this gap to (1) better understand system behaviour, (2) identify leverage points (LPs) for change deeper in the system, and (3) provide a more structured and traceable analysis. We developed a novel approach using 11 systems archetypes for a post hoc analysis of the LIKE project-a participatory SD project on childhood obesity prevention in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. For each LIKE mechanism, we compiled a complete archetype profile, including the storyline, CLD, and behaviour over time graph, for which two were cross-checked with empirical data over time. We identified six systems archetypes. The most common was 'fixes that fail', in which a 'fix' applied to a problem creates unintended consequences that reinforce the problem. This can lead to 'shifting the burden' in which resources are siphoned from addressing the root cause of the problem. Compared with the original analysis, we identified LPs deeper in the system and found that systems archetypes structured the process, suggesting that systems archetypes can effectively help public health researchers hypothesize how to change system behaviour.

Background Anxiety and obesity can have negative impacts on the health of children. Understanding the relationship between obesity and mental disorders in children and adolescents will help develop effective prevention and intervention strategies. Objectives The main aim is to examine the relationship between anxiety-related emotional disorders, self-esteem, and BMI (obesity) among children, as well as determined the role of anxiety-related emotional disorders and self-esteem in predicting childhood obesity in China. Methods Utilizing a non-experimental, cross-sectional study design, data were from 136 participants collected through standardized instrument measures from Chinese children: the “Chinese screening for overweight and obesity among school-age children and adolescents” in the “Health Industry Standards of the People’s Republic of China” as the standard for identifying obesity, the Screen for Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) for assessing anxiety disorder, and the Children’s Self-Esteem Scale (CSES) for evaluating self-esteem. Statistical analysis, including descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple regression analyses was performed using SPSS version 26 to determine the predictive relationships between the variables. Results Specific anxiety-related emotional disorders—particularly panic disorder and separation anxiety disorder—significantly predicted higher BMI in Chinese children, while generalized anxiety disorder and school avoidance were associated with lower BMI. Self-esteem, contrary to expectations, did not significantly predict obesity. Conclusion This study emphasises the necessity of including early psychological screen in childhood obesity prevention, particularly for anxiety symptoms. The findings have practical consequences for schools, doctors, and public health officials. Further research is needed to better understand the mental-physical health relationship in children.

ABSTRACT The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease theory describes early life as a critical window for long-term metabolic health. Accumulating evidence has identified the gut microbiota as a key mediator of early-life metabolic programming. This study utilized antibiotic intervention in neonatal mice to investigate the long-term effects of early postnatal gut microbiota perturbations on adult lipid metabolism and examined the underlying mechanisms involving both thermogenic adipose tissue programming and microbiota structural remodeling. We found that early postnatal antibiotic exposure significantly disrupted the normal developmental assembly of the gut microbiota. Surprisingly, these alterations were associated with partial attenuation of high‑fat diet‑induced lipid metabolic disturbances in adulthood, an effect that was more pronounced in male mice than in female mice. Mechanistically, the observed metabolic improvement appeared to be associated with brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenic activation rather than with white adipose tissue browning or persistent gut microbiota restructuring. Early postnatal antibiotic exposure-associated gut microbiota alterations were linked to enhanced BAT development, potentially via interleukin-6 signaling and M2 macrophage polarization, suggestive of a metabolic programming effect that enhanced adaptive thermogenesis and improved long-term lipid homeostasis. These findings indicate that the gut microbiota might represent a modifiable factor influencing adipose tissue development, highlighting the potential of targeting the microbiota–BAT interplay in early life for obesity prevention strategies.