Verduci Elvira, Di Profio Elisabetta, Fiore Giulia, Zuccotti Gianvincenzo
Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Department of Pediatrics, Vittore Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Ann Nutr Metab. 2022;78 Suppl 2:8-19. doi: 10.1159/000524962. Epub 2022 Jun 9.
The global prevalence of childhood obesity has grown sharply in recent decades. Obesity is considered a public health problem which directly affects the health status of children in numerous ways. To combat this trend, integrated approaches are necessary to prevent childhood obesity. Strategies require a comprehensive perspective at individual and parental level alongside the adoption of measures to engage the community and environment.
Prevention is addressed as crucial in limiting the pediatric obesity epidemic in the long term. Breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding are recognized as early dietary factors that affect the future risk of obesity development during the first 2 years of life. During childhood and adolescence, dietary patterns, eating habits, portion size, eating frequencies, and family meals are important dietary factors to target for preventive strategies, as well as parenting style which is influenced by parents' education. Physical activity promotion and the reduction of sedentary behavior are also recommended. The adherence of children and families to obesity prevention programs is highly dependent on socioeconomic factors. Moreover, setting food quality standards and public policies to promote healthy lifestyle habits is strongly advocated. The implementation of cost-effective preventive strategies is of high priority and requires an integrated approach by healthcare services. All stakeholders involved should take an active role in supporting and empowering children and families in order to cope with this multifactorial and complex disease.
近几十年来，全球儿童肥胖患病率急剧上升。肥胖被视为一个公共卫生问题，它在许多方面直接影响儿童的健康状况。为应对这一趋势，需要采取综合方法来预防儿童肥胖。策略需要在个体和家长层面具备全面视角，同时采取措施让社区和环境参与进来。
预防被视为从长远角度限制儿童肥胖流行的关键。母乳喂养和适当的辅食喂养被认为是影响生命最初两年肥胖发生未来风险的早期饮食因素。在儿童期和青少年期，饮食模式、饮食习惯、食物分量、进食频率和家庭聚餐是预防策略的重要饮食目标因素，还有受父母教育影响的养育方式也是。还建议促进身体活动并减少久坐行为。儿童及其家庭对肥胖预防项目的依从性高度依赖社会经济因素。此外，强烈倡导制定食品质量标准和公共政策以促进健康生活方式习惯。实施具有成本效益的预防策略至关重要，并且需要医疗服务采取综合方法。所有相关利益者都应积极发挥作用，支持并增强儿童及其家庭应对这种多因素复杂疾病的能力。
