Pre-, Peri-, and Postnatal (pregnancy and birth)
Upper and Lower Airway (breathing)
Obesity
(body weight)
Neurodevelopment (brain development)
Positive Health
(well-being)Body Weight
ECHO researchers use data from more than 64,000 diverse children and their families across the U.S. to examine the extent to which obesity is associated with factors like neighborhood conditions, chemical exposures, and other influences.
Healthy Weight
Resources
CDC: Childhood Overweight and Obesity
Defines overweight and obesity in children. Provides facts and information on causes and effects of obesity in children.
MedlinePlus: Obesity in Children
Provides an overview of obesity in children with links to resources for identifying, preventing, and treating childhood obesity.
QUESTIONS
For more information, please email the NIH at NIHKidsandEnvironment@od.nih.gov.
For media inquiries or to request an interview, contact Rebekah Yeager at rebekah.yeager@nih.gov.
How ECHO Advances Research on Childhood Obesity
Because ECHO follows children over time, researchers can also explore “natural experiments,” such as how living through the COVID-19 pandemic might affect BMI, or whether certain policies helped reduce childhood obesity.
Nearly 1 in 5 children and adolescents in the United States have obesity. In children ages 2 to 19 years, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines obesity as a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile.
Childhood obesity can cause health problems that follow children into adulthood. Obesity-related conditions include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, breathing problems such as asthma and sleep apnea, and joint problems.
Understanding the factors in children’s environments that may contribute to their weight can help families, doctors, communities, and policymakers take steps to prevent obesity in childhood and enhance long-term health.
What We're Learning
The ECHO Program has published more than 1,800 articles about the results of its research, including many that looked at obesity outcomes.
Here are some research highlights:
Unusual Early Childhood Weight Patterns Associated with Higher Risk of Future Obesity
May 2025
Children who experience a sharp rise in BMI during early childhood may face a higher risk of obesity by age 9.
ECHO Study Investigates Nutrition During Pregnancy and Infant Growth Outcomes
November 2024
Expectant mothers who ate healthier diets during pregnancy—measured by alignment with dietary guidelines and lower inflammation—were more likely to have babies with healthy birthweights and fewer early growth issues.
Prenatal Exposure to Certain Flame Retardants May be Linked to Childhood Obesity Risk
October 2024
Higher prenatal exposure to certain organophosphate esters (OPEs) was associated with increased obesity risk, while another was linked to a reduced risk.
Food Insecurity in Pregnancy & Early Life May Be Linked to Higher Chance of Obesity in Children & Adolescents
September 2024
Children who faced food insecurity during early childhood—or whose mothers experienced it during pregnancy—had a higher body mass index (BMI) and more than 50% increased chance of developing obesity or severe obesity in childhood and adolescence.
Weight Gain During Infancy in Children Born Preterm Associated with Higher Risk of Obesity, According to New ECHO Research
August 2024
Infants with very high weight gain after NICU discharge had increased obesity risk without neurodevelopmental benefits, while those with very low weight gain showed lower cognitive and language scores.