karppaus.infon arkistoitu foorumi

What are the modern trends and new science in childhood obesity? *Ken Ong, Professor of Paediatric Epidemiology at the University of Cambridge, UK,* talks about rare monogenic causes of obesity that manifest in rapid weight gain from infancy and excessive appetite, and how childhood obesity causes physical and mental health issues already during childhood. Against WHO predictions, modern trends show a decline in prevalence of overweight in preschool children, such as a drop of 15% in New Zealand, 9% in Germany and 3% in England. Ong credits dietary and policy changes, including healthy food and physical activity in early education settings, resulting from awareness of infancy and early childhood overweight.

Ong co-leads the Early Aetiology & Mechanisms of Diabetes and Related Metabolic Disorders programme at the MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, UK. His PhD studies at Oxford and Cambridge investigated genetic and environmental influences on infant and childhood growth and their relevance to later obesity and cardio-metabolic disease risks in large birth cohort studies. His research has identified trajectories of rapid infant weight gain, growth and early pubertal timing as determinants of obesity and related disease, and now aims to understand the genetic, endocrine and behavioural mechanisms that underlie these links, working closely with other research teams at Cambridge and beyond in the development and testing of early life interventions to prevent childhood obesity. He is also a consultant paediatric endocrinologist, leads a regional service for childhood obesity at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, and chairs the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s Subgroup on Maternal and Child Nutrition.

This talk was presented at the recent *"Food for Thought 2023: Rising to the challenge of obesity and diabetes"* conference held by Swiss Re Institute and @TheBMJ . Learn more: https://www.swissre.com/institute/con...