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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #360357
Title: Multi-etiological perspective on child obesity prevention

Author
item BARANOWSKI, TOM - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item MOTIL, KATHLEEN - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item MORENO, JENNETTE - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Submitted to: Current Nutrition Reports
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/6/2018
Publication Date: 1/16/2019
Citation: Baranowski, T., Motil, K.J., Moreno, J.P. 2019. Multi-etiological perspective on child obesity prevention. Current Nutrition Reports. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-019-0256-3.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-019-0256-3

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The simple energy balance model of obesity is inconsistent with the available findings on obesity etiology, prevention, and treatment. Yet, the most commonly stated causes of pediatric obesity are predicated on this model. A more comprehensive biological model is needed upon which to base behavioral interventions aimed at obesity prevention. In this light, alternative etiologies are little investigated and thereby poorly understood. Three candidate alternate etiologies are briefly presented: infectobesity, the gut microbiome, and circadian rhythms. Behavioral child obesity preventive investigators need to collaborate with biological colleagues to more intensively analyze the behavioral aspects of these etiologies and to generate innovative procedures for preventing a multi-etiological problem, e.g., group risk analysis, triaging for likely causes of obesity.