Pediatric Obesity

Picky eating begins early in a child’s life and is associated with parental tactics to counteract pickiness, according to a recently published study in Pediatrics.

Childhood BMI was significantly associated with hidradenitis suppurativa development in adulthood, according to a study published in JAMA Dermatology.

The American Heart Association released a statement on the role of caretakers in preventing obesity among children. This was the top story in cardiology last week.

A scientific statement from the American Heart Association addressed the role of caregivers in the development of healthy eating behaviors in children, actions that can be taken by caregivers to improve these outcomes and challenges that may inhibit these changes.

Patients with elevated systolic BP, type 2 diabetes and obesity in early life had an accelerated progression of risk factors associated with early vascular aging, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

A secondary analysis of survey data showed a small but not clinically relevant association between early exposure to video games and a higher BMI score in later years, which could be explained by irregularity of bedtime and a high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, researchers reported.

Throughout the United States and around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to closed schools, with many districts now indicating closures could last through at least the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. The closings of schools — many of which provide free or discounted breakfast and lunch for some students — is likely to exacerbate the problem of pediatric obesity and lead to an unprecedented increase in food insecurity among families, and researchers are only beginning to evaluate the potential health consequences.

Adolescents with obesity assigned the weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist exenatide for 6 months experienced a modest reduction in BMI along with improvements in several cardiometabolic markers, including 2-hour glucose and lipid profile, according to findings published in Pediatric Obesity.

Although causality is difficult to prove definitively, mounting evidence suggests adverse health consequences of endocrine-disrupting among humans. Recent research links these ubiquitous compounds to pediatric obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis and more.

The Daily Mile, a school-based physical activity program in addition to physical education, may be considered a favorable and cost-effective approach to childhood obesity prevention when compared to the usual health and wellbeing activities in schools, according to findings from a recent study.