BIO-STREAMS is pleased to announce a significant publication in collaboration with Harokopio University of Athens (HUA). The study, titled “Associations between Meal Patterns and Risk of Overweight/Obesity in Children and Adolescents in Western Countries: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies and Randomised Controlled Trials”, was recently published in the journal Children.
Childhood overweight/obesity (OV/OB) is a critical public health issue in Western countries. According to the Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factor Collaboration, from 1990 to 2018, the age-standardised prevalence of childhood obesity increased in the vast majority of countries worldwide (93% of countries in girls and 98% in boys). OV/OB is also often accompanied with conditions like hypertension, insuline resistance, and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO). Altough the influence of diet in OV/OB has been studied with regard to nutrient and food group intake or adherence to dietary patterns, meal patterns remain limitedly studied.
This paper aims to explore the relationship between meal patterns and the risk of childhood OV/OB and MUO in children/adolescents aged 2-19 years. It systematically reviews longitudinal studies and randomised controlled trials from PUBMED and Scopus published between January 2013 and April 2024, encompassing 28 studies on OV/OB risk (with none addressing MUO risk).
The paper identifies several protective factors against childhood OV/OB, including regular breakfast consumption, shared family meals, and avoiding television during meals. Conversely, it suggests that meal skipping, especially skipping breakfast, may increase the risk of OV/OB.
The study found mixed evidence on the impact of meal frequency on OV/OB risk and no significant effects related to the frequency of lunch, fast-food consumption, or meals served at school. Additionally, there was insufficient evidence to determine the role of other meal patterns (such as meal timing) or social contexts (such as eating in different environments).
While the study underscores some promising associations, the overall quality of the findings is limited due to high bias in the studies included. To strenghten future research, the paper calls for the use of harmonised definitions for meal assessment and improved methodological approaches. It also suggests that future interventions should focus on the family environment to further investigate the protective factors of shared family meals against the risk of childhood OV/OB.
You can access the full publication here: https://doi.org/10.3390/children11091100