The Global Syndemic of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in Childhood

The global syndemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in childhood represents an important public health concern. Both diseases are chronic conditions with shared molecular signalling pathways (e.g. insulin, inflammation) resulting in an increased risk of long-term cardiovascular and metabolic consequences including hypertension, dyslipidaemia, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver disease, cardiovascular events, cerebrovascular disease, and obstructive sleep apnoea. Due to the close pathogenic relationship of obesity with T2D, the term “diabesity” was coined. Indeed, increased adiposity has been recognized as the major risk factor for T2D development. Although almost all young patients with T2D presented with obesity, not all children with obesity will develop T2D. Therefore, further underlying mechanisms in the tangled landscape of the pathophysiology of this syndemic need to be elucidated.

In light of this, early identification of these patients plays a crucial role to better counteract their increased cardiometabolic risk. As the remarkable scientific attention gained over the recent years, current knowledge in this field should not only expand but also translate into action to prevent the dramatic spread of the diabesity syndemic.

This Research Topic will offer a deeper insight into the most recent evidence regarding the intricate syndemic of Obesity and T2D in childhood. The goal of this Research Topic is to also increase our understanding of this syndemic to develop new strategies of early diagnosis, prevention, and therapeutics.



We encourage the submission of Original Research and Review articles that cover the current advances in the syndemic of obesity and T2D in childhood from pathophysiological underlying mechanisms to its cardiometabolic burden affecting both on long-term quality of life and life expectancy.