Volume 30, Issue 174, August 2026

From Prenatal Exposure to Lifestyle Behaviors: Risk Factors for Childhood Obesity

Joanna Małgorzata Chrabąszcz¹, Adrian Golec¹, Wojciech Piotr Grzywna¹, Angelika Klaudia Juszczyk^2♦, Kinga Kaczmarska¹, Izabela Sylwia Kluczyńska-Kobiec³, Magdalena Małgorzata Lelek⁴, Sylwia Julia Pietrajtis², Kinga Zofia Rosołowska⁵, Agnieszka Suchenia¹

¹Provincial Integrated Hospital in Kielce, Kielce, Poland
²St. Aleksander Hospital in Kielce, Kielce, Poland
³Healthcare Center in Końskie, Końskie, Poland
⁴Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland
⁵St. Raphael's Voivodeship Specialist Hospital in Czerwona Góra, Chęciny, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Angelika Klaudia Juszczyk, Provincial Integrated Hospital in Kielce, Kielce, Poland

ABSTRACT

Background. In recent years, there has been an increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity. To identify early on children who are at increased risk of obesity, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of the factors that contribute to obesity in this age group. Such an understanding will enable timely delivery of appropriate care and the introduction of effective preventive and treatment interventions as early as possible in the course of obesity development. Aim. This review analyzes current evidence regarding the principal risk factors contributing to the development of obesity in the pediatric population. Materials and methods. A narrative literature review was carried out using the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The search included English-language articles published from January 2019 to January 2026. Results. The results show that several factors influence the development of childhood obesity, including genetic predisposition, the course of fetal and early childhood development, and lifestyle factors. The behavior of parents has a strong effect on a child's lifestyle. Common causes of excess body fat accumulation include poor diet, inadequate physical activity, and sleep disturbances. Environmental aspects also affect this process. Conclusions. The development of childhood obesity is modulated by genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Mechanisms such as metabolic and appetite dysregulation are involved. Lifestyle-related factors, which are largely modifiable, play the most important role. Effective prevention of childhood obesity demands caregiver education, the establishment of healthy dietary habits, and frequent physical exercise.

Keywords: childhood obesity, pediatric obesity, prevention, lifestyle factors, risk factors

Medical Science, 2026, 30, e173ms3959

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Published: 29 August 2026