Obesity and immune status in children

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 3, 2025

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

27.6K

Xingyuan Fang1, Jorge Henao-Mejia2, Sarah E Henrickson1

  • 1Division of Allergy Immunology, Department of Pediatrics.

Current Opinion in Pediatrics
|October 26, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Childhood obesity disrupts immune function, increasing risks from infections and impacting vaccine responses. Further research is crucial to understand and manage immune dysregulation in obese children.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Pediatrics
  • Metabolic Disorders

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a global epidemic characterized by chronic inflammation.
  • Obesity leads to immune system dysregulation, affecting immune cell balance and function.
  • This impacts the host's ability to fight infections, cancer, and respond to vaccines.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the impact of obesity on immune function in children.
  • To highlight alterations in immune cell activation and host defense capabilities.
  • To emphasize the need for better understanding of pediatric obesity's immunological consequences.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on obesity and immune function in children.
  • Analysis of findings from single-cell RNA-sequencing studies in adipose tissue.
  • Synthesis of data on immune system alterations in response to infection, vaccination, and malignancy.

Main Results:

  • Obesity causes systemic immune dysregulation, altering cytokine, adipokine, and immune cell levels.
  • Single-cell RNA-sequencing reveals changes in immune cell subsets and their activation states.
  • Obesity impairs the immune response to infections (e.g., COVID-19), vaccination, and malignancy.

Conclusions:

  • Mechanistic research in pediatric obesity is limited, hindering effective clinical care.
  • Understanding baseline and perturbed immune health in obese children is essential.
  • This knowledge is vital for managing infections, vaccine development, and therapeutic strategies.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Isolation of Adipose Tissue Immune Cells07:09

Isolation of Adipose Tissue Immune Cells

Published on: May 22, 2013

36.8K
Characterization of Immune Cells in Human Adipose Tissue by Using Flow Cytometry07:32

Characterization of Immune Cells in Human Adipose Tissue by Using Flow Cytometry

Published on: March 6, 2018

18.1K

Related Concept Videos

Obesity01:24

Obesity

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in...
977
Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Absorption and Distribution01:25

Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Absorption and Distribution

Obesity significantly alters the pharmacokinetic processes of drug absorption and distribution, presenting unique challenges in medical treatment. The increased fat tissue and decreased lean muscle in obese individuals can significantly affect how drugs are absorbed into the body and distributed across different tissues. This alteration can lead to variances in the effectiveness and safety of medications, necessitating adjustments in dosing or drug selection for obese patients.One notable...
129
Drug Dosing: Obese Patients01:21

Drug Dosing: Obese Patients

In the United States, obesity is a prominent concern. It is linked to heightened mortality rates due to increased occurrences of conditions such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and diabetes compared to nonobese individuals. A patient is classified as obese if their actual body weight surpasses the ideal or desirable body weight by 20%, based on Metropolitan Life Insurance Company data. Ideal body weights consider average weights and heights for males and females...
108
Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Metabolism and Excretion01:20

Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Metabolism and Excretion

Drug metabolism, a critical process in the liver, involves two primary phases: Phase I reactions and Phase II conjugation. Obesity introduces significant alterations in this metabolic process, primarily due to fatty infiltration of the liver, leading to conditions such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This condition can modify the activities of both Phase I and II enzymes, impacting how drugs are metabolized in obese patients.Phase I metabolism sees variable effects across...
90
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection01:26

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection

The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
13.1K
Immunodeficiency Diseases01:25

Immunodeficiency Diseases

Immunodeficiency disorders are conditions in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious disease and cancer is compromised or entirely absent. The immune system comprises a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body from potentially harmful invaders. When this system is deficient or not functioning properly, it leaves the body susceptible to infections, diseases, or other complications.
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency...
1.7K