Global Mechanism of Childhood Obesity and Response Strategies of Various Countries

Abstract

Since modern times, childhood obesity has become a major concern for nearly every family worldwide. The resurgence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the need for further investigation. The analysis found that in developed nations, childhood obesity prevalence has plateaued, but it continues to be deeply associated with socioeconomic and racial inequities, and policies are often hampered by commercial policy capture. On the other hand, developing countries such as China are grappling with the dual burden of sharply increasing obesity and the coexistence of under-nutrition and over-nutrition due to the “nutrition transition.” From a biological perspective, genetic predispositions such as intrauterine developmental imprinting and the leptin-melanocortin pathway are pivotal in determining the individual vulnerability. This analysis shows that childhood obesity cannot be classified as a purely nutritional phenomenon; instead, it emerges as a complex socioecological global issue shaped by commercial determinants, socioeconomic inequities, and intricate biological systems. This analysis demonstrates the need for integrated biological, social, and ecological systems approaches to inform equitable and sustainable global health policies.