The Nutrition Society Congress 2024, held in Belfast, Northern Ireland from 2-5 July, 2024, brought together leading researchers from around the world to discuss critical issues in nutrition and public health. Among the key presentations were two groundbreaking abstracts by BIO-STREAMS partners, shedding light on dietary and meal patterns’ impact on childhood obesity. These studies, conducted by researchers from Harokopio University and the University of the Aegean in Greece, offer new insights into how diet and meal habits influence the risk of overweight and obesity (Ov/OB) and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) in children.

Dietary Patterns and Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The first study, titled “Dietary patterns and risk of childhood overweight/obesity or metabolically unhealthy childhood obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis”, was led by A. Kyrkili and colleagues. This comprehensive review aimed to explore the associations between adherence to dietary patterns and the risk of childhood OV/OB or MUO.

Key Findings:

  • Healthy Dietary Patterns (HDP): Adherence to HDP, characterized by higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, was associated with a significant reduction in the odds of OV/OB. The meta-analysis revealed an odds ratio (OR) of 0.85, indicating a 15% lower risk compared to non-adherence.
  • Unhealthy Dietary Patterns (UDP): Conversely, adherence to UDP, marked by higher intake of sweets, refined grains, fast foods, and processed meats, was associated with a 34% increase in the odds of OV/OB (OR: 1.34).
  • Impact on BMI: Higher adherence to HDP was linked to lower BMI and a smaller increase in BMI over time, while UDP was associated with higher BMI and potentially higher z-BMI.

“Our review highlights the importance of regular meal patterns, particularly breakfast and family dinners, in reducing the risk of childhood obesity,” says Dr. Meropi Kontogianni, Assoc. Professor of Clinical Nutrition at Harokopio University and one of the lead researchers. “However, the high variability in study designs and definitions calls for more standardized research to draw more definitive conclusions.”

Meal Patterns and Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review of the Evidence

The second study, “Meal patterns and risk of childhood obesity and metabolically unhealthy obesity: a systematic review of the evidence, methodological issues and research gaps,” led by G. Saltaouras and colleagues, examined how meal patterns such as meal frequency, timing, and context influence the risk of childhood OV/OB and MUO.

Key Findings:

  • Regular Meals: Regular consumption of breakfast and family dinners were consistently associated with lower odds of OV/OB, BMI, and body fat percentage. This underscores the benefits of structured meal routines.
  • Meal Skipping: Skipping breakfast was linked to increased obesity markers in four studies, though three studies found no significant associations, highlighting the complexity of dietary behaviors.
  • Eating Context: Limited evidence suggested a positive association between eating while watching TV and weight gain, supporting previous findings that distracted eating can lead to overeating.

Research Gaps:

  • MUO: The review highlighted a significant gap in research regarding MUO, with no studies specifically addressing this issue.
  • Methodological Issues: The high risk of bias in many studies, primarily due to inconsistent methods for assessing meal patterns, underscores the need for standardized research approaches.

Future Directions:
Both studies emphasized the need for more robust and standardized methodologies in future research. By addressing these gaps, researchers can develop more effective dietary interventions and public health strategies to combat childhood obesity and promote healthier lifestyles for children and adolescents.

Conclusion

The presentations by BIO-STREAMS partners at the Nutrition Society Congress 2024 provide valuable insights into how dietary and meal patterns impact childhood obesity. These findings highlight the critical role of healthy eating habits, such as regular breakfast consumption and family dinners, in managing childhood weight. They also point to the need for more standardized and comprehensive research to fully understand and address the complexities of childhood obesity and MUO.

As the BIO-STREAMS project, funded by the European Union’s HORIZON 2022 research and innovation program, continues to explore these relationships, we can anticipate more refined and actionable insights that will pave the way for more effective public health strategies in the fight against childhood obesity.