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Obesity Facts 2016The increasing prevalence of paediatric obesity and related metabolic complications has been mainly associated with lower aerobic fitness while less is known regarding... (Review)
Review
The increasing prevalence of paediatric obesity and related metabolic complications has been mainly associated with lower aerobic fitness while less is known regarding potential musculoskeletal impairments. The purpose of the present systematic review was to report the evidence regarding muscular fitness in children and adolescents with obesity. A systematic article search was conducted between November 2014 and June 2015 using MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL psycINFO, SPORTDiscus and SocINDEX. Articles published in English and reporting results on muscle strength and muscular fitness in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years were eligible. Of 548 identified titles, 36 studies were included for analyses. While laboratory-based studies described higher absolute muscular fitness in youth with obesity compared with their lean peers, these differences are negated when corrected for body weight and lean mass, then supporting field-based investigations. All interventional studies reviewed led to improved muscular fitness in youth with obesity. Children and adolescents with obesity display impaired muscular fitness compared to healthy-weight peers, which seems mainly due to factors such as excessive body weight and increased inertia of the body. Our analysis also points out the lack of information regarding the role of age, maturation or sex in the current literature and reveals that routinely used field tests analysing overall daily muscular fitness in children with obesity provide satisfactory results when compared to laboratory-based data.
Topics: Body Weight; Europe; Female; Humans; Male; Muscle Strength; Pediatric Obesity; Physical Fitness; Weight Gain
PubMed: 26901423
DOI: 10.1159/000443687 -
Pediatrics Jul 2022Addressing food insecurity while promoting healthy body weights among children is a major public health challenge. Our objective is to examine longitudinal associations...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Addressing food insecurity while promoting healthy body weights among children is a major public health challenge. Our objective is to examine longitudinal associations between food insecurity and obesity in US children aged 1 to 19 years.
METHODS
Sources for this research include PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus databases (January 2000 to February 2022). We included English language studies that examined food insecurity as a predictor of obesity or increased weight gain. We excluded studies outside the United States and those that only considered the unadjusted relationship between food security and obesity. Characteristics extracted included study design, demographics, methods of food security assessment, and anthropometric outcomes.
RESULTS
Literature searches identified 2272 articles; 13 met our inclusion criteria. Five studies investigated the relationship between food insecurity and obesity directly, whereas 12 examined its relationship with body mass index or body mass index z-score. Three studies assessed multiple outcomes. Overall, evidence of associations between food insecurity and obesity was mixed. There is evidence for possible associations between food insecurity and obesity or greater weight gain in early childhood, for girls, and for children experiencing food insecurity at multiple time points. Heterogeneity in study methods limited comparison across studies.
CONCLUSIONS
Evidence is stronger for associations between food insecurity and obesity among specific subgroups than for children overall. Deeper understanding of the nuances of this relationship is critically needed to effectively intervene against childhood obesity.
Topics: Body Mass Index; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Food Insecurity; Food Supply; Humans; Pediatric Obesity; United States; Weight Gain
PubMed: 35694873
DOI: 10.1542/peds.2021-055571 -
International Journal of Obesity (2005) Feb 2024Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are potentially obesogenic for children. We undertook a systematic review to synthesize this literature and explore... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are potentially obesogenic for children. We undertook a systematic review to synthesize this literature and explore sources of heterogeneity in previously published epidemiological studies.
METHODS
Studies that collected individual-level PFAS and anthropometric data from children up to 12 years of age were identified by searching six databases. We excluded studies that only evaluated obesity measures at the time of birth. A full-text review and quality assessment of the studies was performed using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) criteria. Forest plots were created to summarize measures of association and assess heterogeneity across studies by chemical type and exposure timing. Funnel plots were used to assess small-study effects.
RESULTS
We identified 24 studies, of which 19 used a cohort design. There were 13 studies included in the meta-analysis examining various chemicals and outcomes. Overall prenatal exposures to four different types of PFAS were not statistically associated with changes in body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference. In contrast, for three chemicals, postnatal exposures were inversely related to changes in BMI (i.e., per log10 increase in PFOS: BMI z-score of -0.16 (95% CI: -0.22, -0.10)). There was no substantial heterogeneity in the reported measures of association within prenatal and postnatal subgroups. We observed modest small-study effects, but correction for these effects using the Trim and Fill method did not change our summary estimate(s).
CONCLUSION
Our review found no evidence of a positive association between prenatal PFAS exposure and pediatric obesity, whereas an inverse association was found for postnatal exposure. These findings should be interpreted cautiously due to the small number of studies. Future research that can inform on the effects of exposure mixtures, the timing of the exposure, outcome measures, and the shape of the exposure-response curve is needed.
Topics: Pregnancy; Child; Female; Humans; Pediatric Obesity; Body Mass Index; Fluorocarbons; Environmental Pollutants
PubMed: 37907715
DOI: 10.1038/s41366-023-01401-6 -
Pediatric Research Dec 2023Studies have reported the relationship between functional constipation and obesity in pediatric population. However, the results are contradictory. The purpose of this... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Studies have reported the relationship between functional constipation and obesity in pediatric population. However, the results are contradictory. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the possible association between these two disorders in pediatric population.
METHODS
Four databases including PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, and Web of Science were searched until 30 September 2022. The review was done in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022328992) RESULTS: Nine studies met the eligibility criteria, including 7444 participants. Studies showed the risk of obesity was significantly increased in boys with functional constipation (CI: 1.12, 3.07; P = 0.016). Such an association was also observed in girls (CI: 1.42-4.47; P = 0.00). A statistically significant association was observed between overweight/obesity and increased risk of functional constipation in children and adolescents (CI: 1.14-3.97; P = 0.02). Especially in developed countries (CI: 1.49-3.46; P = 0.00); however, no significant association was observed in developing countries (CI: 0.81-5.3; P = 0.13).
CONCLUSIONS
There is a risk of obesity in either boys or girls with functional constipation. An association exists between the risk of functional constipation and children/adolescents with obesity, especially in developed countries, but not in developing countries.
IMPACT
Our study encourages further research in this field because early detection and intervention are crucial for both functional constipation and overweight/obesity in children, to better identify its complex biology and possibly optimize the treatment approaches.
Topics: Male; Adolescent; Female; Humans; Child; Overweight; Pediatric Obesity; Constipation
PubMed: 37422494
DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02711-1 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2022Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is defined as co-occurrence of increased fat mass and sarcopenia and may predict adverse health outcomes in the pediatric population. However,...
Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is defined as co-occurrence of increased fat mass and sarcopenia and may predict adverse health outcomes in the pediatric population. However, the prevalence of SO and its association with adverse health outcomes have not been well defined in children and adolescents. We systematically reviewed data on the SO definition, prevalence, and adverse outcomes in the pediatric population. A total of 18 articles retrieved from PubMed or Web of Science databases were included. Overall, there was a wide heterogeneity in the methods and thresholds used to define SO. The prevalence of SO ranged from 5.66% to 69.7% in girls, with a range between 7.2% and 81.3% in boys. Of the 8 studies that evaluated outcomes related to SO, all showed a significant association of SO with cardiometabolic outcomes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) severity, inflammation, and mental health. In conclusion, this review found that SO is highly prevalent in children and adolescents and is associated with various adverse health outcomes. Findings of this review highlight the need for the development of a consensus regarding definition, standardized evaluation methods, and age and gender thresholds for SO for different ethnicities in the pediatric population. Further studies are needed to understand the relationship between obesity and sarcopenia and SO impact on adverse health outcomes in children and adolescents.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Female; Humans; Inflammation; Male; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Pediatric Obesity; Prevalence; Sarcopenia
PubMed: 35721709
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.914740 -
Journal of Obesity 2015Parents play a critical role in developing and shaping their children's physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviours, particularly in the early years of life. The aim... (Review)
Review
Parents play a critical role in developing and shaping their children's physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviours, particularly in the early years of life. The aim of this systematic review is to identify current literature investigating associations of parental influences with both PA and screen time in young children. This systematic review was conducted in November 2013 using 6 electronic databases covering research literature from January 1998 to November 2013. Thirty articles that met inclusion criteria were identified. These studies covered five important aspects of parenting: (1) parenting practices; (2) parents' role modelling; (3) parental perceptions of children's PA and screen viewing behaviours; (4) parental self-efficacy; and (5) general parenting style. Findings suggest that parents' encouragement and support can increase children's PA, and reducing parents' own screen time can lead to decreased child screen time. Improving parenting practices, parental self-efficacy or changing parenting style may also be promising approaches to increasing PA time and decreasing screen time of young children.
Topics: Adult; Body Mass Index; Child; Child Behavior; Child, Preschool; Exercise; Female; Humans; Male; Parent-Child Relations; Parenting; Parents; Pediatric Obesity; Sedentary Behavior; Television; Time Factors; Video Games
PubMed: 25874123
DOI: 10.1155/2015/546925 -
Obesity Reviews : An Official Journal... Feb 2021The associations between built and food environments and childhood obesity have been studied extensively. However, the association between the natural environment and...
The associations between built and food environments and childhood obesity have been studied extensively. However, the association between the natural environment and childhood obesity has received too little scholarly attention. This study reviewed the literature published before 1 January 2019, which described associations between a full range of natural environmental factors (e.g., rainfall, temperature, sunlight, natural disasters, flood and drought) and weight-related behaviours and childhood obesity. Five cross-sectional studies and one longitudinal study were identified. Measures of natural environmental factors varied across six included studies, falling into five broad categories: weather conditions, altitude, natural disaster risk, air quality and day length. It was found that temperature was a significant weather indicator in most included studies and was associated with a reduction of daily physical activity. Children living in high-altitude areas were more likely to be shorter and heavier than their counterparts in low-altitude areas. Findings of this study will contribute to helping multiple stakeholders, including policy makers and urban planners, and formulate health policies and interventions to mitigate the detrimental impact of the natural environment on childhood obesity. More longitudinal studies should be designed to confirm these effects and explore the potential health effects of more natural environmental factors.
Topics: Air Pollution; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Exercise; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Pediatric Obesity
PubMed: 32869468
DOI: 10.1111/obr.13097 -
Obesity Facts 2022Children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) appear to be at greater risk of excess weight gain. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
Children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) appear to be at greater risk of excess weight gain. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine whether children with ASD have a greater prevalence of obesity and whether the prevalence of ASD is higher in children with obesity.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic search on PubMed, Scopus, and PsychINFO until May 21, 2021. We used the meta package in the R in order to calculate the pooled prevalence and relative risk of obesity in children with ASD.
RESULTS
We found 20 eligible studies investigating the prevalence of obesity in children with ASD, with the prevalence ranging from 7.9 to 31.8% and from 1.4 to 23.6% among controls. All but three studies originated from the USA. The proportion of children with obesity in ASD populations was 17% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 13-22). The relative risk of obesity in children with ASD compared with control children was 1.58 (95% CI: 1.34-1.86). There were no controlled studies reporting on the prevalence of ASD in children with obesity.
CONCLUSION
Children and adolescents with ASD have a higher prevalence of obesity than healthy controls. There is a need for further prevalence studies of obesity in children with ASD, especially outside the USA, since the few European studies carried out have failed to show a significant difference between obesity prevalence in children with and without ASD. There is no knowledge at all regarding the prevalence of ASD among children with obesity.
Topics: Adolescent; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child; Humans; Pediatric Obesity; Prevalence; Research Design; Weight Gain
PubMed: 35263756
DOI: 10.1159/000523943 -
Obesity Reviews : An Official Journal... Sep 2023This systematic review critically appraised and synthesized evidence from economic evaluations of interventions targeting childhood excess weight. We conducted... (Review)
Review
This systematic review critically appraised and synthesized evidence from economic evaluations of interventions targeting childhood excess weight. We conducted systematic searches in 11 databases from inception to April 19, 2023. Studies were eligible if they evaluated interventions targeting children up to 18 years and the study intervention(s) targeted childhood excess weight or sought to improve diet or physical activity, regardless of the type of economic evaluation or the underpinning study design. We synthesized evidence using narrative synthesis methods. One-hundred fifty-one studies met the eligibility criteria and were classified into three groups based on the intervention approach: prevention-only (13 studies), prevention and treatment (100 studies), and treatment-only (38 studies). The predominant setting and study design differed considerably between the three groups of studies. However, compared with usual care, most interventions were deemed cost-effective. The study participants' ages, sex, and socioeconomic status were crucial to intervention cost-effectiveness. Interventions whose effects were projected beyond childhood, such as bariatric surgery, lower protein infant formula, and home-based general practitioner consultations, tended to be cost-effective. However, cost-effectiveness was sensitive to the assumptions underlying the persistence and intensity of such effects. Our findings can inform future recommendations on the conduct of economic evaluations of interventions targeting childhood overweight and obesity, as well as practice and policy recommendations.
Topics: Child; Humans; Pediatric Obesity; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Diet; Exercise; Bariatric Surgery
PubMed: 37463862
DOI: 10.1111/obr.13597 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jan 2019With the dramatic growth of the Chinese economy, the number of children/adolescents with being overweight/having obesity is increasing, which has a certain impact on... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms among Overweight/Obese and Non-Overweight/Non-Obese Children/Adolescents in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
With the dramatic growth of the Chinese economy, the number of children/adolescents with being overweight/having obesity is increasing, which has a certain impact on their psychology, such as depression and anxiety symptoms. Our purpose was to conduct a meta-analysis to assess the prevalence and odds ratios of depression and anxiety symptoms among overweight/obese children/adolescents and non-overweight/obese children/adolescents in China. As of July 2018, the three most comprehensive computerized academic databases in China have been systematically screened, namely China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI) databases, Wanfang databases and Vip databases. The same operations are performed in PubMed and Web of Science (SCIE) databases without language restrictions. Case-control studies on prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms in overweight/obese children/adolescents in China were analyzed. Study selection and evaluation were performed independently by three authors. Unweighted prevalence, pooled random-effects estimates of odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were all calculated. A total of 11 eligible studies involving 17,894 subjects were included. The prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms in overweight/obese children/adolescents was significantly higher than that in non-overweight/non-obese children/adolescents (depression: 21.73% vs. 17.96%, OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.14, 1.87, = 0.003; anxiety: 39.80% vs. 13.99%, OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.79, < 0.001). Subgroup analyses conducted according to scale types showed that scale types have certain significance to evaluate the relationship between depression symptoms and overweight/obesity. The OR of depression symptoms between overweight/obese children/adolescents and non-overweight/non-obese children/adolescents was greatest on the Middle School Student Mental Health Scale (MSSMHS) was 2.06 (95% CI: 1.41, 3.02, I² = 0.00%), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was 1.03 (95% CI: 0.84, 1.25, I² = 0.00%), and Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) was 1.21 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.42, I² = 0.00%). We concluded that the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms in overweight/obese children/adolescents in China is higher than that in the non-overweight/obese children/adolescents. The results of the study indicate that the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms among overweight/obese children/adolescents in Chinese medical institutions should receive more attention. Physical exercise and psychological interventions should be strengthened to prevent psychological problems. However, because of some clear limitations (no clinical interview and few studies), these results should be interpreted with caution.
Topics: Adolescent; Anxiety; Asian People; Case-Control Studies; Child; China; Depression; Depressive Disorder; Exercise; Humans; Obesity; Odds Ratio; Overweight; Pediatric Obesity; Prevalence
PubMed: 30691096
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16030340