Childhood Obesity
Obesity Incidence in U.S. Children and Young Adults: A Pooled Analysis
Obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has risen sharply, yet there is a limited understanding of the age-specific dynamics of obesity as there is no single nationally representative cohort following children into young adulthood. Investigators constructed a pooled data set of 5 nationally representative panels and modeled age-specific obesity incidence from childhood into young adulthood.U.S. Nutrition Assistance Program Participation and Childhood Obesity: The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study 2011
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; Free/Reduced Priced Lunch Program; and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children reduce food insecurity for millions of Americans with lower incomes. However, critics have questioned whether they increase obesity. This study examined whether program participation was associated with BMI z-score from kindergarten to fifth grade.Pediatric Obesity Prevention and Treatment Among Hispanics: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
The rates of pediatric obesity in the U.S. are highest among Hispanics. There is no existing meta-analysis of the effects of obesity interventions among Hispanic youth. This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses the effects of obesity prevention and treatment interventions on Hispanic youth's weight status and lifestyle behaviors.Advancing Measurement to Address Childhood Obesity: Results of 3 Workshops
This paper arises from a series of workshops held by the National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research (NCCOR)1 and summarizes priorities and next steps for enhancing measurement tools and advancing the incorporation of high-quality measurement for surveillance, epidemiology, and intervention research aimed at accelerating progress in addressing the childhood obesity epidemic. It is intended to stimulate and inform new research on diverse aspects of childhood obesity among researchers and those who plan research initiatives.Childhood Abuse–Related Weight Gain: An Investigation of Potential Resilience Factors
Childhood physical, sexual, and emotional abuse are linked to adult obesity, and little is known about what protective factors might mitigate this association.COVID-19 Leads to Accelerated Increases in Children's BMI z-Score Gain: An Interrupted Time-Series Study
The COVID-19 pandemic may have negatively impacted children's weight status owing to the closure of schools, increased food insecurity and reliance on ultraprocessed foods, and reduced opportunities for outdoor activity.Seasonal Variability in Weight Gain Among American Indian, Black, White, and Hispanic Children: A 3.5-Year Study
Several studies have reported that children gain more weight during the summer season. Despite high obesity rates, little research has included American Indian/Alaskan Native children, and few studies have been longitudinal. This observational study examines seasonal weight variability over 3.5 years among ethnically diverse children, including 2,184 American Indian/Alaskan Native children.Use of Machine Learning to Determine the Information Value of a BMI Screening Program
Childhood obesity continues to be a significant public health issue in the U.S. and is associated with short- and long-term adverse health outcomes. A number of states have implemented school-based BMI screening programs. However, these programs have been criticized for not being effective in improving students’ BMI or reducing childhood obesity. One potential benefit, however, of screening programs is the identification of younger children at risk of obesity as they age.Recent Trends in Junk Food Intake in U.S. Children and Adolescents, 2003–2016
In the U.S., there is no consensus of how to define junk food. Strict regulations on what constitutes junk food denoted by front-of-package labels can serve as the basis for statutory actions. Chile was the first country to adopt this approach, and several countries have followed suit. This study examined the proportion of calories and nutrients of concern consumed by U.S. children and adolescents defined as junk food using the Chilean label criteria and the changes between 2003 and 2016.The Obesity Parenting Intervention Scale: Factorial Validity and Invariance Among Head Start Parents
Obesity affects 15.7% of U.S. preschoolers, with higher rates among low-income and Spanish-speaking populations. Food, physical activity, and sleep parenting practices, referred to collectively as obesity-related parenting practices, are linked with children's risk of obesity and are a common target in family-based obesity interventions. Yet, there is no brief, validated measure of obesity-related parenting practices that is appropriate for use in intervention studies and for diverse audiences. This study tests the factorial validity of a brief measure of obesity-related parenting and measurement invariance of the English and Spanish versions of the scale, as well as among mothers and fathers.Sugary Drink Consumption Among Children by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Status
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is the largest U.S. federally funded nutrition assistance program, providing food assistance to more than 40 million low-income Americans, half of whom are children. This paper examines trends in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among U.S. children and adolescents by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation status.Association of Clinician Behaviors and Weight Change in School-Aged Children
This study uses clinical practice data to determine whether recommended weight management clinician behaviors are associated with weight status improvement in children aged 6–12 years who are overweight or obese.The Impact of Following Solid Food Feeding Guides on BMI Among Infants: A Simulation Study
There are several recommendations advising caregivers when and how to introduce solid food to infants. These complementary feeding guides vary in terms of the recommendations for timing and portions. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of following different guidelines on weight trajectories of infants.The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Child Weight Status: A Review
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a food assistance program that helps Americans afford a healthy diet. However, its influence on children's weight status is unclear. This review examined the evidence of the relationship between SNAP participation and child weight.Systematic Review of Natural Experiments for Childhood Obesity Prevention and Control
The National Academy of Medicine recommends childhood obesity prevention efforts making healthier options the passive choice. This review evaluated the effectiveness of population-level policies and programs from natural experiments for childhood obesity prevention.Implementing School-Based Policies to Prevent Obesity: Cluster Randomized Trial
Healthier school environments can benefit students, and school wellness policies may result in meaningful enhancements. Schools participating in federal child nutrition programs must implement wellness policies as mandated by law. The primary study objective is to assess effectiveness of implementing school-based nutrition and physical activity policies on student BMI trajectories.Screening and Referral for Childhood Obesity: Adherence to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends clinicians screen children aged 6 years or older for obesity and offer or refer children with obesity to intensive weight management programs. This study explores clinician awareness of weight management programs meeting the recommendation, adherence to the recommendation of screening and referral, and associations between provider and practice characteristics and weight management program referrals.Addressing Eating Disorders and Body Dissatisfaction in Sexual and Gender Minority Youth
Despite a growing body of literature demonstrating higher prevalence of body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in sexual and gender minorities (SGMs), interventions tailored to address these problems in SGM youth are lacking.1–3 As with many other behavioral and physical health disparities in SGM populations, disordered eating and shape control may occur in response to common experiences of discrimination and stigma based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and are influenced by sociocultural norms.Adolescent Weight and Electronic Vapor Product Use: Comparing BMI-Based With Perceived Weight Status
This study examined the associations of BMI-based and perceived body weight status with electronic vapor product use, cigarette smoking, and dual use among U.S. adolescents.Eating, Activity, and Weight-related Problems From Adolescence to Adulthood
Determining the population-based scope and stability of eating, activity, and weight-related problems is critical to inform interventions. This study examines: (1) the prevalence of eating, activity, and weight-related problems likely to influence health; and (2) the trajectories for having at least one of these problems during the transition from adolescence to adulthood.The Voices for Healthy Kids and State Legislation to Prevent Childhood Obesity: An Update
The purpose of this study is to examine general time trends in childhood obesity legislative activity in all 50 states (overall and by health equity focus) and whether the Voices for Healthy Kids Campaign (Voices) was associated with increased legislative activity.Research on Childhood Obesity: Building the Foundation for a Healthier Future
Childhood obesity has risen to epidemic levels in our nation, with serious health consequences. Children with obesity face a heightened risk for many serious and chronic health conditions during their youth, including type 2 diabetes, sleep disorders, and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Type 2 diabetes, for example, was once a disease of older adults, but, fueled by obesity, now increasingly strikes teens and younger children. Even more alarmingly, this disease is more aggressive and difficult to treat in young people, putting them at risk for a lifetime of devastating complications.Developing a Partnership for Change: The National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research
Rising obesity rates in the U.S. over the past several decades, particularly among children and adolescents, led to an increased focus on research addressing obesity prevention and public- and private-sector initiatives on healthy eating and physical activity. Groups conducting prevention initiatives recognized that their ability to achieve and sustain cross-sector environmental, policy, and systems-level solutions was hampered by limited evidence in those areas. In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NIH, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation began to discuss forming a partnership that could accelerate progress to prevent childhood obesity by coordinating research and evaluation agendas and collaboratively building an evidence base.A National Collaborative for Building the Field of Childhood Obesity Research
Rising rates of childhood obesity over the past 2 decades have spurred a number of public- and private-sector initiatives aimed at halting or even reversing this trend. Recognizing common interests in this issue, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NIH, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation began conversations about creating a formal collaboration aimed at accelerating efforts to address childhood obesity by coordinating research agendas and providing support for evidence-building activities.Effects of Before-School Physical Activity on Obesity Prevention and Wellness
The effects of Build Our Kids Success—a 12-week, 1-hour before-school physical activity program—on BMI and social–emotional wellness among kindergarten to eighth grade students was examined.
