One of the most critical factors that affects or leads to obesity is depression. However, another point of view is that obesity leads to depression. This systematic review estimates evidence arising from observational and systematic studies concerning the association between obesity and depression in children and adolescents. Moreover, the role of the family environment is investigated in this review. A systematic literature search was performed for research conducted between 2014 and 2021 on PubMed. The basic inclusion criteria were the language, study issue and type, and age of the participants. Studies that examined non-healthy populations, or were not related, or with no access were excluded. Titles and abstracts were screened independently, and full-text manuscripts meeting inclusion criteria were extracted. Finally, twenty-seven studies were retained. Most of them highlighted a positive association between obesity and depression. However, it is not clear whether obesity leads to depression or vice versa. Our review also revealed that the role of the family in this association has not been well studied and understood, since only one study addressed the issue. The evidence from our review emphasizes major public health issues; therefore, appropriate health policies should be developed. Moreover, additional research is required to fully understand the role of the family environment in the association between depression and obesity in childhood.

Background: To test the validity of the short form of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) for use among adults in Greece. Methods: The original English version of the OHIP-14 was translated using the forward-backward technique, pilot-tested, and then applied to 211 adults aged 35 years and above. The questionnaire was filled out during face-to-face interviews conducted by one dentist, while individuals were asked to undergo a clinical examination. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha (α) coefficient and inter-item and item-total correlations. Discriminant and convergent validities were assessed. Results: Cronbach's α was estimated to be 0.90. Inter-item correlations coefficients ranged from 0.10 to 0.83, while item-total correlations coefficients from 0.44 to 0.76. Significant associations were found between OHIP-14 and the decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) and oral hygiene, supporting the ability of the questionnaire to discriminate between individuals with and without impacts. The OHIP-14 total score was highly associated with self-perceived oral health status (r_s = 0.57; p = 0.01), as well as with self-assessment of oral satisfaction (r_s = 0.55;p = 0.01). Similar results were observed by investigating the relationship between the latter questions and each domain score as well as in various sub-groups analyses. Conclusions: The OHIP-14 is a reliable and valid questionnaire for the assessment of OHRQoL among adults in Greece.

Summary: Objectives: Increased meal frequency and daily breakfast consumption have been inversely associated with childhood obesity. The purpose of the study was to examine the possible interaction effect between meal frequency and breakfast consumption on childhood obesity.Methods: Seven hundred children (323 boys) aged 10–12 years were enrolled in this cross‐sectional study. Several lifestyle, dietary and physical activity characteristics were recorded with food frequency and physical activity questionnaires. Body height and weight were measured and body mass index was calculated in order to classify children as overweight or obese (International Obesity Task Force classification). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used in order to evaluate the interaction between daily breakfast intake and more than three meals per day consumption with overweight or obesity.Reuslts: Of the children, 27.6% and 9.0% were overweight and obese, respectively. Moreover, 60.2% consumed three or more meals per day and 62.7% consumed breakfast in a regular daily basis. Children who consumed more than three meals per day and also consumed breakfast daily, were two times less likely to be overweight or obese (adjusted odds ratio: 0.49, 95% confidence interval: 0.27–0.88).Conclusion: A combined higher meal frequency and daily breakfast consumption dietary pattern may prevent overweight and obesity in children.

Adherence to certain dietary patterns influences obesity status in both children and adults. Weight perception influences dietary habits. The aim of this study was to examine children’s dietary habits and obesity status, in relation to weight perception. One thousand seven hundred Greek students enrolled in this study during 2014–2016. Children’s characteristics were assessed through validated questionnaires, and weight status was classified according to the criteria of the International Obesity Task Force. Dietary patterns were assessed through exploratory factor analysis. Overall, 52.2% of children characterized themselves as normal weight, 34.5% as low weight, and 13.3% as overweight/obese; 52.5% of children were in accordance with their actual weight status, with girls being more likely to overestimate their weight. Children followed three dietary patterns, i.e., starchy and protein foods, unhealthy/high-fat foods, and healthy foods. Children who followed the healthy dietary pattern and had accurate weight perception (in accordance with their actual weight), had lower odds of being overweight/obese (p < 0.001). Accurate weight perception in conjunction with healthy dietary habits may play a determinant role in the prevention of obesity. From a public health perspective, early identification of children’s weight misperception along with healthy dietary habit promotion shape a crucial role in childhood obesity confrontation.

Introduction: Diet and physical activity might be associated with the risk of allergic diseases in childhood. However, evidence in literature is sparse and diverse. We aim to examine the associations between four healthy dietary consumption pattern drinks, plus the adherence to a physically active lifestyle with atopic diseases (asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema) in adolescence and their relative importance. Methods: A total of 1934 adolescents (921 boys, 47.5%) and their parents completed a validated questionnaire assessing atopic diseases’ symptoms prevalence in the past 12 months, as well as nutritional and physical activity information. Four healthy dietary and one physical active lifestyle patterns were identified and logistic regression was applied to assess their relation with allergic diseases. Results: A high weekly consumption of fruits, vegetables and pulses and low consumption of unhealthy foods was negatively associated with all atopic symptoms while adherence to a physical active lifestyle was inversely associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis symptoms and dairy products with asthma and eczema symptoms in the past 12 months after adjustment for several confounders (all p < 0.05). Fruits, vegetables and pulses consumption per week emerged as the most important lifestyle pattern negatively associated for all atopic diseases, after the adjustment for all the remaining lifestyle patterns and confounders (all p < 0.05) Conclusions: Our findings suggest that a high fruit, vegetable and pulse intake should be the first lifestyle intervention every clinician and public health care worker evolving in the management of atopic adolescents should encourage and promote.

The consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is high along with the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems among children and adolescents. The present study sought to investigate the synergetic effect of soft drinks and sweet/salty snacks consumption, and the moderating role of obesity on preadolescents’ emotions and behavior. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1728 Greek preadolescents aged 10–12 and their parents, during the school years 2014–2016. Parental and child characteristics were collected anonymously, through self-administered and validated questionnaires. Among others, soft drinks and sweet/salty snacks consumption was recorded, classifying preadolescents as low or at least moderate consumers, while anthropometric characteristics (height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI)) were also recorded. Approximately 6 out of 10 preadolescents were characterized by at least moderate consumption of either sweet/salty snacks, or soft drinks, while 22.7% of the participants had at least moderate consumption of both soft drinks and sweet/salty snacks. Boys and preadolescents with a lower level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet, as well as those living in a more obesogenic family environment were more likely to be in the higher consumption groups. When compared to just either the moderate consumption of sweet/salty snacks, or the moderate consumption of soft drinks, the combination of both unhealthy eating habits was associated with significantly higher odds of both aggressiveness and loneliness, while the examined relationships were significantly stronger in overweight/obese children. The positive synergistic effect of soft drinks and sweet/salty snacks consumption on preadolescents’ emotions of loneliness and aggressive behavior is even burdened by obesity status highlighting the urgent need for policymakers to take preventive measures to halt the detrimental consequences of UPFs consumption on health outcomes, particularly in overweight/obese children. The importance of the improvement of children’s unhealthy eating habits by emphasizing the association between food intake and emotional and behavioral status is highlighted.