Understanding Drivers of Obesity in the Preschool (0-5) Years: determinants, interventions, and future directions

Epidemiological studies have shown strong tracking of weight from infancy and early childhood to early adulthood, and obese children are more likely to be obese adults than their normal-weight peers. Obesity prevention efforts therefore need to target the preschool years. In particular, evidence is mounting that the first 1000 days of life are crucial for programming later health and disease, including obesity risk. It is well established that early growth is a complex process, with both genetic and environmental determinants. Nutrition, physical activity and sleep have all been implicated in the aetiology of child and adult obesity, but far less is known about the important risk factors during infancy and the preschool years. This issue invites manuscripts that consider the key drivers of excess growth in early life, focusing on determinants, interventions and future directions in the field of infant and preschool obesity. Submissions from low and middle income countries, as well as high income countries are encouraged.

In order to promote understanding of the drivers of obesity in the preschool years, this Frontiers Research Topic aims to bring together contributions from a range of related disciplines. Manuscripts exploring early life obesity from a variety of perspectives are welcome, including but not limited to; psychology, genetics, epidemiology, public health, social science, dietetics, nutrition, behavioral science, endocrinology, pediatrics, neuroscience, health economics, anthropology, policy research and political science.