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Childhood Obesity and MUO (Metabolically Unhealthy Obesity): Pediatric Nutrition and Dietary Patterns

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 April 2024) | Viewed by 5224

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Health Sciences, Università di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
2. Department of Pediatrics, Vittore Buzzi Children’s Hospital, 20154 Milan, Italy
Interests: enteral and parenteral nutrition; neurologically impaired children; childhood obesity; metabolic syndrome; gut microbiota
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor Assistant
1. Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
2. Department of Pediatrics, Vittore Buzzi Children’s Hospital, 20154 Milan, Italy
Interests: childhood obesity; metabolic syndrome; gut microbiota; dietary patterns; body composition

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
Interests: pediatric obesity; malnutrition; metabolic syndrome; inflammation; omega-3; body composition; nutritional status
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite researchers to submit original or review papers regarding metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) in pediatrics, with an emphasis on dietary patterns and nutrition interventions.

Pediatric obesity is characterized by an increased risk of several metabolic derangements. In the last decades, the definition of MUO has been proposed as an obesity with an “unfavourable” metabolic profile with abnormal glucose regulation, blood pressure and lipid profile. The underlying factors leading to the development of metabolic disturbances in pediatric obesity are under investigation; the most likely one is the development of insulin resistance, mainly caused by adipose tissue inflammation. It is also known that puberal age, in which a physiological decrease in insulin sensitivity occurs, is associated with the transition from the MHO to MUO phenotype. To date, no specific recommendation has been developed regarding the most suitable dietary pattern to adopt in the presence of MUO. A Mediterranean diet may be a promising approach for the treatment/prevention of metabolic derangements related to obesity. Moreover, the role of specific nutrients or bioactive compounds could be interesting to evaluate.

The goal of this Special Issue is to present the latest evidence on dietary patterns or nutrition strategies which, combined with a multidisciplinary approach, are able to prevent/counteract MUO.

Dr. Elvira Verduci
Guest Editor
Dr. Giulia Fiore
Dr. Elisabetta Di Profio
Guest Editor Assistants

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • pediatric obesity
  • metabolically unhealthy obesity
  • metabolic risk
  • insulin resistance
  • dietary patterns
  • nutrition
  • Mediterranean diet

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 767 KiB  
Article
Early Infant Feeding Practices and Associations with Growth in Childhood
by Priscilla K. Clayton, Diane L. Putnick, Ian R. Trees, Akhgar Ghassabian, Jordan N. Tyris, Tzu-Chun Lin and Edwina H. Yeung
Nutrients 2024, 16(5), 714; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16050714 - 29 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1653
Abstract
Early infant growth trajectories have been linked to obesity risk. The aim of this study was to examine early infant feeding practices in association with anthropometric measures and risk of overweight/obesity in childhood. A total of 2492 children from Upstate KIDS, a population-based [...] Read more.
Early infant growth trajectories have been linked to obesity risk. The aim of this study was to examine early infant feeding practices in association with anthropometric measures and risk of overweight/obesity in childhood. A total of 2492 children from Upstate KIDS, a population-based longitudinal cohort, were included for the analysis. Parents reported breastfeeding and complementary food introduction from 4 to 12 months on questionnaires. Weight and height were reported at 2–3 years of age and during later follow-up at 7–9 years of age. Age and sex z-scores were calculated. Linear mixed models were conducted, adjusting for maternal and child sociodemographic factors. Approximately 54% of infants were formula-fed at <5 months of age. Compared to those formula-fed, BMI- (adjusted B, −0.23; 95% CI: −0.42, −0.05) and weight-for-age z-scores (adjusted B, −0.16; −0.28, −0.03) were lower for those exclusively breastfed. Infants breastfed for ≥12 months had a lower risk of being overweight (aRR, 0.33; 0.18, 0.59) at 2–3 years, relative to formula-fed infants. Compared to introduction at <5 months, the introduction of fruits and vegetables between 5 and 8 months was associated with lower risk of obesity at 7–9 years (aRR, 0.45; 0.22, 0.93). The type and duration of breastfeeding and delayed introduction of certain complementary foods was associated with lower childhood BMI. Full article
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Review

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30 pages, 3891 KiB  
Review
Dietary Inflammatory Potential in Pediatric Diseases: A Narrative Review
by Martina Tosi, Chiara Montanari, Federica Bona, Chiara Tricella, Marta Agostinelli, Jonabell Dolor, Claudia Chillemi, Elisabetta Di Profio, Veronica Maria Tagi, Sara Vizzuso, Giulia Fiore, Gianvincenzo Zuccotti and Elvira Verduci
Nutrients 2023, 15(24), 5095; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15245095 - 13 Dec 2023
Viewed by 3103
Abstract
Inflammatory status is one of the main drivers in the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Specific unhealthy dietary patterns and the growing consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may influence the inflammation process, which negatively modulates the gut microbiota and increases the risk of [...] Read more.
Inflammatory status is one of the main drivers in the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Specific unhealthy dietary patterns and the growing consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may influence the inflammation process, which negatively modulates the gut microbiota and increases the risk of NCDs. Moreover, several chronic health conditions require special long-term dietary treatment, characterized by altered ratios of the intake of nutrients or by the consumption of disease-specific foods. In this narrative review, we aimed to collect the latest evidence on the pro-inflammatory potential of dietary patterns, foods, and nutrients in children affected by multifactorial diseases but also on the dietetic approaches used as treatment for specific diseases. Considering multifactorial diet-related diseases, the triggering effect of pro-inflammatory diets has been addressed for metabolic syndrome and inflammatory bowel diseases, and the latter for adults only. Future research is required on multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and pediatric cancer, in which the role of inflammation is emerging. For diseases requiring special diets, the role of single or multiple foods, possibly associated with inflammation, was assessed, but more studies are needed. The evidence collected highlighted the need for health professionals to consider the entire dietary pattern, providing balanced and healthy diets not only to permit the metabolic control of the disease itself, but also to prevent the development of NCDs in adolescence and adulthood. Personalized nutritional approaches, in close collaboration between the hospital, country, and families, must always be promoted together with the development of new methods for the assessment of pro-inflammatory dietary habits in pediatric age and the implementation of telemedicine. Full article
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