Learning to Eat in an Obesogenic Environment: A Developmental Systems Perspective on Childhood Obesity

Abstract

Abstract— Currently, children are developing in an obesity‐promoting, or obesogenic, environment, which has emerged within the past 3 decades. This rapid change provides a rare opportunity to investigate the phenotypic outcomes that result from the expression of human genetic predispositions in a new environment. Unfortunately, the environmental changes that have occurred are associated with epidemic obesity rates in all age groups. Using a developmental perspective, this article argues that this probabilistic outcome is not predetermined, however. The article also provides examples of learning paradigms—familiarization and associative and observational learning—that present opportunities for parents and caregivers to restructure children’s environments in early life, increasing the likelihood of healthy weight‐status outcomes in the context of the current obesogenic environment.

Communities Putting Prevention to Work: Results of an Obesity Prevention Initiative in Child Care Facilities

“…These statistics are of particular concern because obese preschool-age children are 5 times more likely to be overweight during adolescence (Birch & Anzman, 2010) and more than 4 times as likely to be obese adults when compared to their normal weight counterparts (Gluckman, Hanson, Cooper, & Thornburg, 2008). These results show that, contrary to popular belief, children do not "grow out of" their "baby fat."…”

Dietary factors associated with subclinical inflammation among girls

“…12 The current Western diet is obesogenic because foods and beverages high in sugar, and foods with added salt are readily available. 15 There are some evidence that dietary fatty acid composition can influence plasma 16,17 and adipose tissue fatty acid composition, 17 which, in turn, can modify inflammation 14,18 and inflammationmediated disease. 14 Specifically, it has been suggested that high dietary intake of specific fatty acids may stimulate IL-6 secretion, and, in contrast, high intakes of n-3 PUFAs may inhibit low-grade inflammation.…”

Investigating the Relationship of Body Mass Index, Diet Quality, and Physical Activity Level between Fathers and Their Preschool-Aged Children

“…In addition, many of the children are school age or adolescents, beyond the age when food preferences and eating behaviors are being formed. 18 Thus, the aims of this study are to determine whether an association exists between fathers' and children's body mass index (BMI), diet quality, and physical activity duration and intensity level. It was hypothesized that fathers' BMI, diet quality, and physical activity amount by intensity level would be significantly, positively related to children's BMI z score, diet quality, and physical activity amount by intensity level, respectively.…”