Background/objectives: Epidemiological evidence indicates obesity in childhood and adolescence to be an independent risk factor for cancer and premature mortality in adulthood. Pathological implications from excess adiposity may begin early in life. Obesity is concurrent with a state of chronic inflammation, a well-known aetiological factor for DNA damage. In addition, obesity has been associated with micro-nutritional deficiencies. Vitamin D has attracted attention for its anti-inflammatory properties and role in genomic integrity and stability. The aim of this study was to determine a novel approach for predicting genomic instability via the combined assessment of adiposity, DNA damage, systemic inflammation, and vitamin D status. Subjects/methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study with 132 participants, aged 10–18, recruited from schools and paediatric obesity clinics in London. Anthropometric assessments included BMI Z-score, waist and hip circumference, and body fat percentage via bioelectrical impedance. Inflammation and vitamin D levels in saliva were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Oxidative DNA damage was determined via quantification of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine in urine. Exfoliated cells from the oral cavity were scored for genomic instability via the buccal cytome assay. Results: As expected, comparisons between participants with obesity and normal range BMI showed significant differences in anthropometric measures (p < 0.001). Significant differences were also observed in some measures of genomic instability (p < 0.001). When examining relationships between variables for all participants, markers of adiposity positively correlated with acquired oxidative DNA damage (p < 0.01) and genomic instability (p < 0.001), and negatively correlated with vitamin D (p < 0.01). Multiple regression analyses identified obesity (p < 0.001), vitamin D (p < 0.001), and oxidative DNA damage (p < 0.05) as the three significant predictors of genomic instability. Conclusions: Obesity, oxidative DNA damage, and vitamin D deficiency are significant predictors of genomic instability. Non-invasive biomonitoring and predictive modelling of genomic instability in young patients with obesity may contribute to the prioritisation and severity of clinical intervention measures.

Degree awarding gaps highlight the inequitable outcomes of higher education (HE) for racially minoritized students in the UK. This ongoing issue has been described as a “wicked problem”, directly related to structural racism, or policies and practices that continually disadvantage racialized students. Movements to decolonize the curriculum bring hope and the tools to rebuild more socially-just institutions and societies. However, it is sometimes questioned whether the field of science, with its guise of objectivity, needs decolonizing, or what that process involves. We argue that student partnerships are central to building decolonized science curricula that are critical, anti-racist and will evoke social change. In this study, conducted with life sciences students in a UK HE institution, we share critical reflections captured through a mixed methods approach to address how we create an education that is through and for social justice. Education through social justice aims to create equitable learning environments by addressing how structures and curricula invite, engage and support racially minoritized students to be partners in the learning journey. Whereas education for social justice is about co-creating curricula, teaching practices and principles that lead to change makers and fostering more socially-just societies. Our research indicates that an education that is both through and for social justice requires co-creation where traditional power hierarchies are dismantled, and mattering is emphasized. Partnerships and curricula must be centered in anti-racist practices, with a structured and intentional approach to developing critical thinking skills for continual reflection, self-development and actions to promote inclusion and equity in life sciences and society.