A review of the literature and a new classification of the early determinants of childhood obesity: from pregnancy to the first years of life

From as early on as the development of the fetus, the risk of obesity can be evaluated. At thebeginning of life, nutritional intake in man is controlled by innate biological systems and internalsignals; and later on, the learning processes determine cognitive structures about food and nutrition,strongly influencing eating habits. It is important to identify all the factors that have an influence onchildhood obesity and intervene with prevention programs. In this review, the databases “Pubmed"and “The Cochrane Library" were consulted to provide a review of recent literature (1982-2007)concerning childhood obesity. A particular importance is given to the influence exerted by theparents. This review also proposes a new classification of the factors involved from the beginning ofpregnancy up to childhood and through adolescence. The nutritional or nonnutritional nature of thefactors is also considered. Therefore, this review can be a useful instrument for public healthprofessionals to detect the most critical periods for the onset of childhood obesity, identify the targetto which the intervention of primary prevention should be addressed, and determine the momentwhen such programs should be realized.