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PERSPECTIVE article

Front. Med.
Sec. Translational Medicine
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1430395
This article is part of the Research Topic Holobiontic Epigenomic-Microbiomic-Metabolomic Perspectives of Diet and Nutrition towards Human Health View all 4 articles

Breastfeeding: science and knowledge in pediatric obesity prevention

Provisionally accepted
Marilena Muraglia Marilena Muraglia 1Maria F. Faienza Maria F. Faienza 2Roberta Tardugno Roberta Tardugno 1Maria Lisa Clodoveo Maria Lisa Clodoveo 3Carmen Matias Carmen Matias 4Fátima Andrea German Bermúdez Fátima Andrea German Bermúdez 4María G. Munizaga María G. Munizaga 4Luz Valencia-Erazo Luz Valencia-Erazo 5Filomena Corbo Filomena Corbo 1Andrea Orellana-Manzano Andrea Orellana-Manzano 4*
  • 1 Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
  • 2 Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
  • 3 Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
  • 4 Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Laboratorio para investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida (FCV), Guayaquil, Ecuador
  • 5 Nutrition and Dietetics Program, Faculty of Life Sciences, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity worldwide is a significant concern due to its link to severe health issues in adulthood, such as non-communicable diseases (NCDs). To address this issue, this review evaluates the effectiveness of various preventive measures for childhood obesity, focusing on maternal nutrition and breastfeeding. The study underscores the criticality of the periconceptional period, where the diets of both parents can influence epigenetic modifications that impact the child's metabolic pathways and obesity risks. Breastfeeding is a potent protective mechanism against earlyonset obesity, significantly enhancing the infant's metabolic and immune health by modifying DNA methylation and gene expression. Furthermore, the perspective underscores the significance of the Mediterranean diet during the periconceptional period and lactation. This diet can effectively prevent gestational complications and improve breast milk quality, fostering optimal infant development. Recognizing that obesity results from genetic, epigenetic, environmental, and social factors, the paper advocates for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach from the earliest stages of life. This approach champions a balanced maternal diet, exclusive breastfeeding, and timely introduction to complementary foods. In conclusion, addressing pediatric obesity requires a multifaceted strategy emphasizing improving prenatal and postnatal nutrition. Further research is necessary to understand the epigenetic mechanisms influenced by nutrition and their long-term effects on children's health. This will help refine interventions that curb the obesity epidemic among future generations.

    Keywords: Pediatric Obesity, breastfeeding, epigenetic, Mediterranean diet on breastfeeding, nutrition

    Received: 09 May 2024; Accepted: 16 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Muraglia, Faienza, Tardugno, Clodoveo, Matias, Andrea German Bermúdez, Munizaga, Valencia-Erazo, Corbo and Orellana-Manzano. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Andrea Orellana-Manzano, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Laboratorio para investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida (FCV), Guayaquil, Ecuador

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