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Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic... Dec 2023The incidence of childhood obesity and metabolic syndrome has grown notably in the last years, becoming major public health burdens in developed countries. Nowadays,... (Review)
Review
The incidence of childhood obesity and metabolic syndrome has grown notably in the last years, becoming major public health burdens in developed countries. Nowadays, oxidative stress is well-recognized to be closely associated with the onset and progression of several obesity-related complications within the framework of a complex crosstalk involving other intertwined pathogenic events, such as inflammation, insulin disturbances, and dyslipidemia. Thus, understanding the molecular basis behind these oxidative dysregulations could provide new approaches for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of childhood obesity and associated disorders. In this respect, the transcriptomic characterization of miRNAs bares great potential because of their involvement in post-transcriptional modulation of genetic expression. Herein, we provide a comprehensive literature revision gathering state-of-the-art research into the association between childhood obesity, metabolic syndrome, and miRNAs. We put special emphasis on the potential role of miRNAs in modulating obesity-related pathogenic events, with particular focus on oxidative stress.
Topics: Humans; Child; Metabolic Syndrome; MicroRNAs; Pediatric Obesity; Oxidative Stress; Inflammation
PubMed: 37672200
DOI: 10.1007/s11154-023-09834-0 -
Biomedical Papers of the Medical... Dec 2023Obesity has become a serious medical condition where many factors can contribute to excess weight gain. The most common type of childhood obesity is simple obesity,... (Review)
Review
Obesity has become a serious medical condition where many factors can contribute to excess weight gain. The most common type of childhood obesity is simple obesity, which is due to gene-obesogenic environment interaction. Only a minority are due to pathological causes. Secondary causes of obesity, while less common, include these: genetic syndromes, drug-related obesity, as well as endocrine disorders (hypothyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, growth hormone deficiency, hypogonadism, pseudohypoparathyroidism type Ia, insulinoma, hypothalamic obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome). Given that some conditions may be treatable, physicians must be aware of obesity due to endocrinopathies and distinguish them from simple obesity, and treat them properly. Although rare among children, early detection of the endocrine cause of obesity leads to reduced morbidity and, in some cases, reduced mortality in these individuals. The aim of this review is to summarize the current findings on obesity-related endocrinopathies in children (illustrated by clinical examples), highlighting aspects of pathogenetic mechanisms, genetics, the clinical diagnosis, growth, body mass index and possible therapeutic approaches. Early detection and correction of endocrine obesity is of paramount importance for obese children who could benefit from timely diagnosis and an improved management of obesity as many disturbances related to obesity can be reversed at the early stage, if weight loss is achieved.
Topics: Female; Child; Adolescent; Humans; Pediatric Obesity; Overweight; Endocrine System Diseases; Hypothyroidism; Obesity, Morbid
PubMed: 37712247
DOI: 10.5507/bp.2023.036 -
Nutrients Feb 2024The increasing incidence of obesity in the pediatric population requires attention to its serious complications. It turns out that in addition to typical, well-known... (Review)
Review
The increasing incidence of obesity in the pediatric population requires attention to its serious complications. It turns out that in addition to typical, well-known metabolic complications, obesity as a systemic disease carries the risk of equally serious, although less obvious, non-metabolic complications, such as cardiovascular diseases, polycystic ovary syndrome, chronic kidney disease, asthma, thyroid dysfunction, immunologic and dermatologic conditions, and mental health problems. They can affect almost all systems of the young body and also leave their mark in adulthood. In addition, obesity also contributes to the exacerbation of existing childhood diseases. As a result, children suffering from obesity may have a reduced quality of life, both physically and mentally, and their life expectancy may be shortened. It also turns out that, in the case of obese pregnant girls, the complications of obesity may also affect their unborn children. Therefore, it is extremely important to take all necessary actions to prevent the growing epidemic of obesity in the pediatric population, as well as to treat existing complications of obesity and detect them at an early stage. In summary, physicians treating a child with a systemic disease such as obesity must adopt a holistic approach to treatment.
Topics: Child; Female; Pregnancy; Humans; Pediatric Obesity; Quality of Life; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; Biochemical Phenomena
PubMed: 38398863
DOI: 10.3390/nu16040539 -
International Journal of Environmental... Aug 2023While the exact prevalence of disordered eating in youth who are overweight and have obesity has not been determined, studies show that the odds of a young adult (18-24... (Review)
Review
While the exact prevalence of disordered eating in youth who are overweight and have obesity has not been determined, studies show that the odds of a young adult (18-24 years) with obesity engaging in disordered eating behaviors is 2.45 times more likely to occur than in young adults with Body Mass Indexes (BMI) in the normative range. The purpose of this review is to highlight the role that disordered eating and eating disorders may play in pediatric obesity and the importance of screening for these conditions. The ability to identify and assess disordered eating alters the course of treatment. Without an understanding of the intersection of obesity and disordered eating, medical providers may continue treatment-as-usual. Doing so may inadvertently contribute to internalized weight bias in patients with obesity and exacerbate their disordered eating symptoms and behaviors. In addition, understanding the spectrum of disordered eating in pediatric patients with obesity allows providers to tailor treatments, discuss food and physical activity differently, and know when to refer patients to eating-disorder-specific providers for continued treatment.
Topics: Young Adult; Adolescent; Humans; Child; Pediatric Obesity; Body Mass Index; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Overweight; Exercise
PubMed: 37681777
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20176638 -
Journal of Hypertension Jul 2023The causal relationship between childhood obesity and hypertension in pregnancy remains unclear. To examine the causal association between childhood obesity and...
BACKGROUND
The causal relationship between childhood obesity and hypertension in pregnancy remains unclear. To examine the causal association between childhood obesity and hypertension in pregnancy, two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis was applied.
METHODS
Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with childhood obesity were obtained from a published genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 13 848 European individuals. Summary-level data for hypertension in pregnancy were obtained from the FinnGen consortium (11534 cases and 162212 controls). Inverse-variance weighted analysis, weighted-median analysis, and Mendelian randomization-Egger regression were conducted in this Mendelian randomization analysis. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to confirm the accuracy and robustness of our results.
RESULTS
Genetically determined childhood obesity significantly affects hypertension in pregnancy by IVW [odds ratio (OR) = 1.161, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.086-1.039; P = 9.92 × 10 -6 ] and weighted median (OR = 1.123, 95% CI 1.038-1.214; P = 0.004). These results were validated by multiple sensitivity analyses.
CONCLUSION
A causal effect between genetically predicted childhood obesity and the risk of hypertension in pregnancy was identified. The prevention of hypertension in pregnancy should be promoted in populations with childhood obesity.
Topics: Child; Female; Pregnancy; Humans; Genome-Wide Association Study; Mendelian Randomization Analysis; Pediatric Obesity; Hypertension; Odds Ratio; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
PubMed: 37074353
DOI: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000003442 -
Nutrients Dec 2023Nutrition interventions to prevent pediatric obesity can help to establish healthy habits to improve current and future health. The objective of this umbrella review of... (Review)
Review
Nutrition interventions to prevent pediatric obesity can help to establish healthy habits to improve current and future health. The objective of this umbrella review of systematic reviews (SRs) is to examine the impact of obesity prevention interventions with a nutrition component on body mass index measures, overweight/obesity prevalence, and cost-effectiveness in participants 2-17 years old. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methods were used, and this umbrella review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023443033). Included SRs were required to search ≥2 databases and to assess the risk of bias (RoB) of primary studies, and they were published 2017-June 2023. Database searches identified 4776 articles, and 31 SRs were included. In all age groups combined, interventions with both nutrition and physical activity were effective and cost-effective in all settings combined, and in the community setting specifically. In children ≤5 years old, interventions in the home and family, community, and healthcare settings demonstrated some efficacy, whereas in children 6-12 years old, school interventions were most effective. Evidence with individuals 13-17 years was limited. The certainty of evidence was generally low due to RoB in included studies, inconsistency, and imprecision. Pediatric obesity prevention interventions with nutrition should be tailored to the developmental stage to ensure appropriateness and efficacy.
Topics: Child; Humans; Child, Preschool; Adolescent; Pediatric Obesity; Systematic Reviews as Topic; Body Mass Index; Overweight; Exercise
PubMed: 38140356
DOI: 10.3390/nu15245097 -
Nutrients May 2024The prevalence of childhood obesity and its associated comorbidities is a growing global health problem that disproportionately affects populations in low- and... (Review)
Review
The prevalence of childhood obesity and its associated comorbidities is a growing global health problem that disproportionately affects populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and minority ethnicities in high-income countries (HICs). The increased childhood obesity disparities among populations reflect two concerns: one is HICs' ineffective intervention approaches in terms of lifestyle, nutrition and physical activity in minority populations, and the second is the virtually non-existent lifestyle obesity interventions in LMICs. This article provides guidelines on childhood obesity and its comorbidities in high-risk minority populations based on understanding the prevalence and effectiveness of preventative lifestyle interventions. First, we highlight how inadequate obesity screening by body mass index (BMI) can be resolved by using objective adiposity fat percentage measurements alongside anthropometric and physiological components, including lean tissue and bone density. National healthcare childhood obesity prevention initiatives should embed obesity cut-off points for minority ethnicities, especially Asian and South Asian ethnicities within UK and USA populations, whose obesity-related metabolic risks are often underestimated. Secondly, lifestyle interventions are underutilised in children and adolescents with obesity and its comorbidities, especially in minority ethnicity population groups. The overwhelming evidence on lifestyle interventions involving children with obesity comorbidities from ethnic minority populations shows that personalised physical activity and nutrition interventions are successful in reversing obesity and its secondary cardiometabolic disease risks, including those related to cardiorespiratory capacity, blood pressure and glucose/insulin levels. Interventions combining cultural contextualisation and better engagement with families are the most effective in high-risk paediatric minority populations but are non-uniform amongst different minority communities. A sustained preventative health impact can be achieved through the involvement of the community, with stakeholders comprising healthcare professionals, nutritionists, exercise science specialists and policy makers. Our guidelines for obesity assessment and primary and secondary prevention of childhood obesity and associated comorbidities in minority populations are fundamental to reducing global and local health disparities and improving quality of life.
Topics: Humans; Pediatric Obesity; Child; Prevalence; Life Style; Minority Groups; Comorbidity; Adolescent; Exercise; Body Mass Index; Risk Factors; Female; Male
PubMed: 38892662
DOI: 10.3390/nu16111730 -
Nutrients Jun 2024Since the 1980s, there has been a global increase, decade by decade, in the rates of overweight and obesity among children, both in developed and developing countries...
Since the 1980s, there has been a global increase, decade by decade, in the rates of overweight and obesity among children, both in developed and developing countries [...].
Topics: Humans; Cardiovascular Diseases; Pediatric Obesity; Adolescent; Diet, Healthy; Child; Female; Male
PubMed: 38892673
DOI: 10.3390/nu16111740 -
Diabetologia Nov 2023Diabetes in pregnancy affects 20 million women per year and is associated with increased risk of obesity in offspring, leading to insulin resistance and cardiometabolic... (Review)
Review
Diabetes in pregnancy affects 20 million women per year and is associated with increased risk of obesity in offspring, leading to insulin resistance and cardiometabolic disease. Despite the substantial public health ramifications, relatively little is known about the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying obesity in these high-risk children, which creates a barrier to successful intervention. While maternal glucose itself is undeniably a major stimulus upon intrauterine growth, the degree of offspring hyperinsulinism and disturbed lipid metabolism in mothers and offspring are also likely to be implicated in the disease process. The aim of this review is to summarise current understanding of the pathophysiology of childhood obesity after intrauterine exposure to maternal hyperglycaemia and to highlight possible opportunities for intervention. I present here a new unified hypothesis for the pathophysiology of childhood obesity in infants born to mothers with diabetes, which involves self-perpetuating twin cycles of pancreatic beta cell hyperfunction and altered lipid metabolism, both acutely and chronically upregulated by intrauterine exposure to maternal hyperglycaemia.
Topics: Pregnancy; Infant; Humans; Child; Female; Pediatric Obesity; Diabetes, Gestational; Mothers; Insulin Resistance; Hyperglycemia; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
PubMed: 37442824
DOI: 10.1007/s00125-023-05965-w -
Nutrients Oct 2023The prevalence of central precocious puberty (CPP) in girls has increased worldwide and is often associated with obesity in childhood as well as high fat/high glycemic... (Review)
Review
The prevalence of central precocious puberty (CPP) in girls has increased worldwide and is often associated with obesity in childhood as well as high fat/high glycemic index diets. Evidence suggests that subjects with obesity present with alterations in appetite-regulating hormones. The arcuate and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus are the centers of action of appetite hormones, as well as the location of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons, the activation of which results in the onset of puberty. This anatomical proximity raises the question of possible alterations in appetite-regulating hormones in patients with CPP. Furthermore, diet-induced hypothalamic inflammation constitutes a probable mechanism of the pathophysiology of CPP, as well as alterations in appetite-regulating hormones in young children. In this article, we summarize the evidence investigating whether girls with CPP present with alterations in appetite-regulating hormones. We present evidence that leptin concentrations are elevated in girls with CPP, ghrelin concentrations are lower in girls with CPP, nesfatin-1 and orexin-A concentrations are elevated among girls with premature thelarche, and insulin concentrations are increased in girls with early menarche.
Topics: Female; Child; Humans; Child, Preschool; Puberty, Precocious; Luteinizing Hormone; Appetite; Pediatric Obesity; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; Follicle Stimulating Hormone
PubMed: 37836591
DOI: 10.3390/nu15194306