Stress, Stress Reduction and Obesity in Childhood and Adolescence.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to explore the potential of mindfulness-based intervention programs as an adjunctive tool for stress reduction in the prevention and treatment of childhood and adolescent obesity.
Results Summary
The study found evidence that stress exposure contributes to obesity risk in children and adolescents, with COVID-19-related stress being a recent example. Mindfulness interventions were suggested as a promising approach, though longitudinal studies on cause-and-effect relationships are limited and results are partly inconsistent.
Population
Children and adolescents, particularly those with obesity or at risk of obesity.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | increase | obesity | children and adolescents | - | associated with a higher risk for | #1 |
COVID-19 pandemic as a prolonged stress exposure | increase | weight development | children and adolescents | - | presents a negative influence on | #2 |
intervention programs to reduce stress in children through mindfulness | decrease | childhood and adolescent obesity | children and adolescents | - | might be a promising adjunctive tool in the prevention and treatment of | #3 |
BACKGROUND: Obesity in childhood and adolescence remains a great global health challenge. Stress exposure during childhood and adolescence is associated with a higher risk for obesity, yet the linkage between stress and obesity is multidimensional, and its biological and behavioral mechanisms are still not fully understood. SUMMARY: In this literature review, we identified different types of stress exposure in children and adolescents, including first studied effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as a prolonged stress exposure and their association with obesity risk. We investigated studies on the connection of altered stress biology and behavioral pathways as well as intervention programs on stress reduction in children and adolescents with obesity. KEY MESSAGES: There is evidence that stress exposure in childhood and adolescence promotes biological and behavioral alterations that contribute to the multifactorial pathogenesis of obesity. COVID-19 related-stress presents the most current example of a negative influence on weight development in children and adolescents. However, longitudinal studies on the linkage between environmental, behavioral, and biological factors across development are few, and results are partly equivocal. Intervention programs to reduce stress in children through mindfulness might be a promising adjunctive tool in the prevention and treatment of childhood and adolescent obesity that could further offer proof of concept of theoretically elaborated cause-and-effect relationships.