Nutritional strategies for childhood obesity treatment and prevention without counting calories—A narrative review

Abstract

Treating obesity in children is a significant challenge for modern medicine and a delicate matter at the same time. Although obesity treatment typically involves lifestyle modifications; in particular implementation of a detailed menu and calorie restrictions, when it comes to children, imposing a specific menu can be tough and consequently counterproductive. Therefore, it is advisable to introduce some small single steps and simple rules to lower the risk of obesity without causing unnecessary pressure. This article includes practical advice on how to treat and prevent excessive body weight in children. While primarily aimed at professionals working with children and their parents or guardians—such as teachers, dietitians, and pediatricians—these recommendations can also be adapted for parents and caregivers in various formats to effectively reach and benefit this target group.

Keywords

childhood obesity / eating habits / emotional eating / healthy eating / obesity treatment

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2025 The Author(s). Pediatric Discovery published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University.