Need for Early Interventions in the Prevention of Pediatric Overweight: A Review and Upcoming Directions

Childhood obesity is currently one of the most prevailing and challenging public health issues among industrialized countries and of international priority. The global prevalence of obesity poses such a serious concern that the World Health Organization (WHO) has described it as a “global epidemic....

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Main Authors: Anne M. Dattilo, Leann Birch, Nancy F. Krebs, Alan Lake, Elsie M. Taveras, Jose M. Saavedra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:Journal of Obesity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/123023
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author Anne M. Dattilo
Leann Birch
Nancy F. Krebs
Alan Lake
Elsie M. Taveras
Jose M. Saavedra
author_facet Anne M. Dattilo
Leann Birch
Nancy F. Krebs
Alan Lake
Elsie M. Taveras
Jose M. Saavedra
author_sort Anne M. Dattilo
collection DOAJ
description Childhood obesity is currently one of the most prevailing and challenging public health issues among industrialized countries and of international priority. The global prevalence of obesity poses such a serious concern that the World Health Organization (WHO) has described it as a “global epidemic.” Recent literature suggests that the genesis of the problem occurs in the first years of life as feeding patterns, dietary habits, and parental feeding practices are established. Obesity prevention evidence points to specific dietary factors, such as the promotion of breastfeeding and appropriate introduction of nutritious complementary foods, but also calls for attention to parental feeding practices, awareness of appropriate responses to infant hunger and satiety cues, physical activity/inactivity behaviors, infant sleep duration, and family meals. Interventions that begin at birth, targeting multiple factors related to healthy growth, have not been adequately studied. Due to the overwhelming importance and global significance of excess weight within pediatric populations, this narrative review was undertaken to summarize factors associated with overweight and obesity among infants and toddlers, with focus on potentially modifiable risk factors beginning at birth, and to address the need for early intervention prevention.
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spelling doaj-art-9047b653ad5e4afc8c8349bec441f4142025-08-20T02:09:14ZengWileyJournal of Obesity2090-07082090-07162012-01-01201210.1155/2012/123023123023Need for Early Interventions in the Prevention of Pediatric Overweight: A Review and Upcoming DirectionsAnne M. Dattilo0Leann Birch1Nancy F. Krebs2Alan Lake3Elsie M. Taveras4Jose M. Saavedra5Nestlé Nutrition, 12 Vreeland Road, Florham Park, NJ 07932, USADepartment of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Health and Human Development, Penn State University, S-211 Henderson South Building, University Park, PA 16802, USADepartment of Community and Behavioral Health, University of Colorado Denver, Research Complex 2, Room 5025, 12700 East 19th Avenue, Box C225, Aurora, CO 80045, USADepartment of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287, USAObesity Prevention Program, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and Harvard Medical School, 133 Brookline Avenue, 6th floor, Boston, MA 02215, USANestlé Nutrition, 12 Vreeland Road, Florham Park, NJ 07932, USAChildhood obesity is currently one of the most prevailing and challenging public health issues among industrialized countries and of international priority. The global prevalence of obesity poses such a serious concern that the World Health Organization (WHO) has described it as a “global epidemic.” Recent literature suggests that the genesis of the problem occurs in the first years of life as feeding patterns, dietary habits, and parental feeding practices are established. Obesity prevention evidence points to specific dietary factors, such as the promotion of breastfeeding and appropriate introduction of nutritious complementary foods, but also calls for attention to parental feeding practices, awareness of appropriate responses to infant hunger and satiety cues, physical activity/inactivity behaviors, infant sleep duration, and family meals. Interventions that begin at birth, targeting multiple factors related to healthy growth, have not been adequately studied. Due to the overwhelming importance and global significance of excess weight within pediatric populations, this narrative review was undertaken to summarize factors associated with overweight and obesity among infants and toddlers, with focus on potentially modifiable risk factors beginning at birth, and to address the need for early intervention prevention.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/123023
spellingShingle Anne M. Dattilo
Leann Birch
Nancy F. Krebs
Alan Lake
Elsie M. Taveras
Jose M. Saavedra
Need for Early Interventions in the Prevention of Pediatric Overweight: A Review and Upcoming Directions
Journal of Obesity
title Need for Early Interventions in the Prevention of Pediatric Overweight: A Review and Upcoming Directions
title_full Need for Early Interventions in the Prevention of Pediatric Overweight: A Review and Upcoming Directions
title_fullStr Need for Early Interventions in the Prevention of Pediatric Overweight: A Review and Upcoming Directions
title_full_unstemmed Need for Early Interventions in the Prevention of Pediatric Overweight: A Review and Upcoming Directions
title_short Need for Early Interventions in the Prevention of Pediatric Overweight: A Review and Upcoming Directions
title_sort need for early interventions in the prevention of pediatric overweight a review and upcoming directions
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/123023
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