Childhood obesity has reached alarming levels worldwide, posing significant health risks such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and psychological distress. Research indicates that the early years of life, including prenatal and infancy periods, play a critical role in shaping long-term metabolic health. Genetic predisposition, environmental influences, dietary patterns, and physical activity levels interact in complex ways, making early prevention a key strategy for reducing obesity prevalence and its associated comorbidities.

This Research Topic aims to address the fundamental question: How can childhood obesity be effectively prevented from the earliest stages of life? We seek to explore innovative, evidence-based strategies to identify at-risk individuals, mitigate early-life risk factors, and implement preventive interventions that have a lasting impact on health outcomes.

We invite contributions that explore various aspects of early obesity prevention, including but not limited to:

• Endocrine and metabolic programming in early obesity development

• Neuroendocrine and hormonal regulation of appetite and energy balance in infancy and childhood

• The impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals and environmental exposures on obesity risk

• Sleep disturbances and circadian misalignment as risk factors for childhood obesity

• Clinical and behavioral screening tools for early identification of high-risk children (e.g, pediatric metabolic markers, endocrine assessments, precision-medicine approaches)

• Targeted interventions and structured healthcare-based strategies for obesity prevention

By gathering cutting-edge research in these areas, this collection aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of effective strategies for early obesity prevention, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to develop impactful interventions.

N.B. Cross-sectional epidemiological studies and meta-analyses will not be considered for this Research Topic

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Early Prevention of Childhood Obesity: Identifying Risks and Implementing Effective Interventions