Intervening to Promote Healthy Weight From Gestation to Age 2, Particularly Among Disproportionately Burdened Populations

Childhood obesity prevalence soared over the past four decades with a 10-fold increase globally from 1975-2015 and Healthy People 2020 has declared obesity a national health priority. Socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in obesity exist and may be widening. These disparities are apparent by age 2 years with recent national data showing that Hispanic children continue to have highest obesity prevalence (15.6%) and on-Hispanic black children have 2-fold higher obesity prevalence (10.4%) compared to non-Hispanic white (5.2%) counterparts. The first 1,000 days describes the period from pregnancy through child age 2 years, and is increasingly recognized as a critical period for development of childhood obesity and its adverse consequences. Several risk factors are consistently associated with later childhood obesity during the first 1,000 days and are more prevalent among low socioeconomic groups and racial/ethnic minorities. These modifiable risk factors mediate the development of racial/ethnic disparities in later childhood obesity.

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption during the first 1,000 days is a risk factor for childhood overweight/obesity, and has been linked to dental caries, lower child cognition, and the adverse child health consequences. Recent evidence shows that maternal SSB consumption during pregnancy and infant SSB consumption in the first year of life are associated with childhood obesity later in life. Thus, interventions to curb SSB consumption and promote healthy beverage intake in urban, low-income Hispanic/Latino families must start early in life, yet few SSB-specific interventions have ventured to do so.