BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – A new systematic review published in the journal Obesity Reviews reveals critical insights into the factors influencing childhood obesity during the first 1,000 days of life. This comprehensive study, conducted by an international team of experts, provides an updated and evidence-based foundation for implementation of global prevention strategies targeting these risk factors.
The review screened over 17,000 publications to systematically analyze 172 publications from observational studies and 5 publications from interventional studies from 37 countries. It identified and evaluated maternal, paternal and infant risk factors for childhood obesity from preconception until 2 years. This work was a collaborative effort by the Early Nutrition and Long-Term Health Task Force from ILSI Europe.
Key Findings on Childhood Obesity Risk
In total, the authors reviewed data from studies including over 1.8 million children from 37, predominantly high-income, countries. On average, the reported childhood obesity prevalence was 11%. The systematic review identified 23 consistent risk factors consistently associated with childhood obesity. The strongest risk factors include:
- Maternal Health: Higher maternal pre-pregnancy weight, excessive gestational weight gain, and maternal smoking during pregnancy.
- Birth and Infancy: Higher birthweight, being large-for-gestational-age at birth, lack of breastfeeding, and higher infant weight gain.
Knowledge Gaps and Future Directions
While the study provides a robust overview, it also highlights significant knowledge gaps. The authors note the scarcity of research on paternal factors and the preconception period, as well as a lack of studies on non-invasive biomarkers. The review also underscores the need for standardized data collection in future studies to enable large-scale meta-analyses and the development of more accurate prediction models.
Implications for Prevention
The findings are important for improving early-life risk assessment and informing intervention strategies. The identified factors can be used to develop targeted programs for families at higher risk, allowing for proactive prevention of obesity from the start of life onwards
Dr. Romy Gaillard, chair of the expert group, commented: “The first 1000 days of life offer an unique opportunity for childhood obesity prevention, as parents-to-be or parents of newborns are in frequent contact with health care workers. Parents are often motivated to make lifestyle changes not only to benefit their own health, but also that of their children. In this systematic review, we provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on family-based risk factors for childhood obesity from preconception until 2 years. Improved risk selection using these identified risk factors, together with more advanced modelling approaches, may help to identify those families who will benefit most from childhood obesity prevention strategies, already from the start of life onwards. Furthermore, our findings may inform future studies on important, underrepresented, areas for further research on childhood obesity development and potential targets for novel intervention studies.”
Dr. Janna A. van Diepen, co-author, added: “Childhood obesity is an urgent and escalating public health concern, with a growing number of children affected by overweight or obesity, leading to numerous health problems. Early identification of risk factors and biomarkers associated with obesity is critical for developing timely and effective interventions.”
About the Study
This systematic review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022355152). The search included major scientific databases such as Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Cochrane CENTRAL, covering publications up to August 17, 2022. The quality of each study was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. This work was part of a larger collaborative effort by the ILSI Europe Early Nutrition and Long-Term Health Task Force.
About the Authors
The authors of this publication are leading experts in the field of nutrition, from both industry and academia: Sophia M. Blaauwendraad, MD, Arwen S.J. Kamphuis, MD, Francisco Javier Ruiz-Ojeda, PhD, Marco Brandimonte-Hernández, MSc, Eduard Flores-Ventura, MSc, Marieke Abrahamse-Berkeveld, PhD, Maria Carmen Collado, PhD, Janna A. van Diepen, PhD, Patricia Iozzo, MD, PhD, Karen Knipping, MSc, Carolien A. van Loo-Bouwman, PhD, Ángel Gil, PhD, and Romy Gaillard, MD, PhD.
About ILSI Europe
ILSI Europe is the European branch of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), a global, non-profit federation with 10 entities around the world. Our mission is to develop, communicate and disseminate science-based guidance to tackle food, public health, and sustainability challenges. We facilitate collaboration and consensus-building between academic, industry and public service experts.
Contact Information
For questions about the paper, the Task Force or ILSI Europe, please contact Ching-Yu Chang, Scientific project manager, at: cchang@ilsieurope.be
Access to the full article here: http://doi.org/10.1111/obr.70025