Childhood obesity is one of the most important problems of public health. Searching was conducted by using PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, MEDLINE, and EBSCO databases, from January 2022 to June 2022, for English language meta-analyses, systematic reviews, randomized clinical trials, and observational studies from all over the world. Five main topics were defined in a consensus join statement of the Polish Society of Pediatrics, Polish Society for Pediatric Obesity, Polish Society of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes and Polish Association for the Study on Obesity: (1) definition, causes, consequences of obesity; (2) treatment of obesity; (3) obesity prevention; (4) the role of primary care in the prevention of obesity; (5) Recommendations for general practitioners, parents, teachers, and regional authorities. The statement outlines the role of diet, physical activity in the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity, and gives appropriate recommendations for interventions by schools, parents, and primary health care. A multisite approach to weight control in children is recommended, taking into account the age, the severity of obesity, and the presence of obesity-related diseases. Combined interventions consisting of dietary modification, physical activity, behavioral therapy, and education are effective in improving metabolic and anthropometric indices. More actions are needed to strengthen the role of primary care in the effective prevention and treatment of obesity because a comprehensive, multi-component intervention appears to yield the best results.

Given the fact that physical exertion leads to blood glucose fluctuations, type one diabetes mellitus (T1D) may potentially constitute a barrier for obtaining a sufficient amount of exercise. The main purpose of the study was to compare the level of physical activity between children with T1D (n = 215) and healthy controls (n = 115) and to assess the physical activity of the study group in relation to the applied method of insulin therapy, i.e., the use of insulin pen vs. insulin pump. The level of physical activity was assessed with a hip-worn tri-axial accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3X+) used by the subjects for an uninterrupted period of seven days. Children with T1D had significantly lower median values of total time of moderate (213.3 vs. 272.1 min), vigorous (135.3 vs. 19.6 min) and moderate-to-vigorous (347.4 vs. 467.4 min) physical activity compared to healthy peers respectively, (p < 0.001) in all cases. In addition, the total median number of steps was significantly lower (53,631 vs. 67,542 steps), (p < 0.001). The method of insulin therapy was not associated with significant differences in physical activity level (p > 0.001). The level of physical activity in children and adolescents with T1D is lower than in their healthy peers and does not depend on the insulin therapy method.

The aim of this study was to check whether following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) concerning physical activity protects children and adolescents against the occurrence of overweight and obesity. A total of 1002 children were included in the analysis. The average age of the studied children was 9.36 years ± 3.52 years. Measurement of height and body mass was performed for every child, followed by physical activity assessment over seven days. In each group analyzed, the overweight and obese children had a shorter time in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) than the children with normal body mass. Among the children spending < 60 min per day in MVPA, the risk of occurrence of overweight and obesity was greater than among children with physical activity > 60 min per day. It was also shown that the greatest risk of occurrence of body mass disorder was a situation in which the mother’s gestational weight gain (GWG) is over 18 kg and the child does not spend a minimum of 60 min/day in MVPA. Not meeting the recommendation is connected with an increased chance of the occurrence of overweight and obesity. The level of physical activity influences the incidence of overweight and obesity. The children with overweight and obesity spent less time per day in MVPA. An increased body mass in mothers during pregnancy associated with a child’s low level of physical activity increases the risk of the occurrence of overweight and obesity.

Strong preferences for sweet and fat tastes (characters) are associated with the consumption of foods high in calories. The taste preferences, especially the sweet and fat tastes (characters), might be one of the factors predisposing children to become overweight and/or develop obesity. The aim of the study is to assess taste preferences in children and their mothers in association with their weight status. In the study, 150 children aged 8–15 were included; among them, 75 had overweight and/or obesity, and 150 mothers of whom 69 were overweight and/or obese. Body composition estimates were obtained using a bioelectrical impedance analysis-body height was measured using a stadiometerSeca 213. Sensory tests were carried out using apple juice of various sugar content and crackers of various fat content. Results show that children prefer a sweet taste more often than their mothers (50.0% vs. 35.3%, p = 0.009). In the group of children who preferred the high-sweet taste, there were twice as many obese children when compared to the group who preferred the low-sweet taste. Similar relationships applied to mothers. Preferences for fat taste (character) among mothers increased the risk of obesity among their children (39% vs. 20%; p = 0.039). Taste preferences, especially a sweet taste preference, seem to be one of the important factors determining overweight and obesity in children and adults. The fat taste(character) preferences in mothers correlate with the overweight and/or obesity of their children, while such preferences among children were not significantly different irrespective of body weight status.

The main goal of our study was to determine how the age of children, puberty and anthropometric parameters affect the formation of body composition and faulty body posture development in children. The secondary goal was to determine in which body segments abnormalities most often occur and how gender differentiates the occurrence of adverse changes in children’s body posture and body composition during puberty. The study group consisted of 464 schoolchildren aged from 6–16. Body posture was assessed with the Zebris system. The composition of the body mass was tested with Tanita MC 780 MA body mass analyzer and the body height was measured using a portable stadiometer PORTSTAND 210. The participants were further divided due to the age of puberty. Tanner division was adopted. The cut-off age for girls is ≥10 years and for boys it is ≥12 years. The analyses applied descriptive statistics, the Pearson correlation, stepwise regression analysis and the t-test. The accepted level of significance was p < 0.05. The pelvic obliquity was lower in older children (beta = −0.15). We also see that age played a significant role in the difference in the height of the right pelvis (beta = −0.28), and the difference in the height of the right shoulder (beta = 0.23). Regression analysis showed that the content of adipose tissue (FAT%) increased with body mass index (BMI) and decreased with increasing weight, age, and height. Moreover, the FAT% was lower in boys than in girls (beta negative equal to −0.39). It turned out that older children (puberty), had greater asymmetry in the right shoulder blade (p < 0.001) and right shoulder (p = 0.003). On the other hand, younger children (who were still before puberty) had greater anomalies in the left trunk inclination (p = 0.048) as well as in the pelvic obliquity (p = 0.008). Girls in puberty were characterized by greater asymmetry on the right side, including the shoulders (p = 0.001), the scapula (p = 0.001) and the pelvis (p < 0.001). In boys, the problem related only to the asymmetry of the shoulder blades (p < 0.001). Girls were characterized by a greater increase in adipose tissue and boys by muscle tissue. Significant differences also appeared in the body posture of the examined children. Greater asymmetry within scapulas and shoulders were seen in children during puberty. Therefore, a growing child should be closely monitored to protect them from the adverse consequences of poor posture or excessive accumulation of adipose tissue in the body.

The aim of this study was to assess the changes in the occurrence of prenatal and postnatal anxiety and depression symptoms, and to assess what factors significantly affect the appearance of symptoms of depression and anxiety in young mothers. The study group consisted of 130 women after childbirth. Due to the ongoing restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the survey was prepared online. The questionnaire was fully anonymous, and it contained the authors’ own questions and two standardized questionnaires: the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Generalized Anxiety Disorders GAD-7. The conducted analysis clearly indicated that the level of postpartum depression, in as many as 52 of the mothers, had increased significantly compared to the time before delivery, when symptoms of depression were shown by 22 women (p = 0.009). However, there was no statistically significant change between prenatal and postnatal anxiety. There are many factors associated with postnatal depression. The strongest predictors turned out to be average socioeconomic status, history of anxiety disorders, past neurosis or depression, lack of or inadequate level of assistance from healthcare professionals, as well as lactation problems and postpartum pain.