The recent publication by the World Health Organization (WHO) on healthy school food environments confirms a reality pediatricians witness every day: children do not independently choose what they eat — they make decisions within a system. The guideline, published on January 27, 2026, begins with a simple yet powerful observation: children spend a significant portion […]
Childhood malnutrition can no longer be understood solely as undernutrition. UNICEF’s Feeding Profit report marks a historic turning point: in 2025, obesity among school-aged children and adolescents surpassed underweight worldwide for the first time. According to the report, 188 million children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 were living with obesity, and global prevalence increased […]
Comprehensive Evaluation and Stepwise Management of Pediatric Obesity (Stigma-Free Approach) Lea este articulo en español: Version Español Childhood obesity is a chronic, multifactorial, relapsing disease defined by excess adiposity that harms health; in pediatrics we operationalize it using BMI-for-age percentiles (overweight ≥ 85th to < 95th; obesity ≥ 95th; severe obesity at higher cut points), […]
Recent Evidence, Clinical Updates, and Shared Responsibility in Addressing a Persistent Epidemic Childhood obesity in the United States can no longer be understood as an individual behavioral deviation or simply the consequence of isolated dietary choices. It is a chronic, multifactorial condition affecting approximately one in five children and adolescents, with a concerning proportion progressing […]
By Ismael Perdomo Physician – Pediatrician | Epidemiologist Introduction Between the ages of 6 and 10, children go through a key developmental stage known as school-age childhood or middle childhood. It is a period of profound cognitive, physical, emotional, and social transformation, during which essential abilities emerge, including logical thinking, autonomy, internalization of rules, and […]
By Ismael Perdomo Physician and General Surgeon | Specialist in Pediatrics and Epidemiology Scientific Foundations, Long-Term Impact, and Comprehensive RecommendationsIntroduction Between 2 and 5 years of age, children experience steady growth, consolidate essential motor and cognitive skills, develop feeding autonomy, and begin shaping their taste preferences and dietary habits. This stage, often underestimated in its […]
By Dr. Ismael Perdomo Pediatrician – Epidemiologist Introduction: A Critical Stage for Lifelong Health Between 12 and 24 months of age, children go through a period of rapid physical and neurological growth. This is also a stage of high biological plasticity, in which nutrition not only meets energy requirements, but also modulates gene expression (epigenetics), […]
Nutrition During the First Year of Life: Scientific and Practical Recommendations for Parents and Medical StudentsBy Dr. Ismael Perdomo – Pediatrician | EpidemiologistIntroduction The first year of life is a period of accelerated and comprehensive development in which the foundations of physical growth, neurological maturation, immune function, intestinal microbiota, eating habits, emotional bonding, and future […]
By Ismael Perdomo Medical Doctor (MD), Pediatric Specialist, Epidemiologist The duration of breastfeeding has been associated in multiple studies with superior cognitive development in children, even after adjusting for key variables such as socioeconomic status and maternal intelligence. A recent study from the Millennium Cohort Study (United Kingdom) found advantages in verbal and spatial performance […]
By ISMAEL PERDOMO Physician – Pediatrician | Epidemiologist The Greatest Gift for a Lifetime Breastfeeding is the first act of love and nourishment that a mother can offer her child. It is much more than feeding: it is protection, bonding, comfort, and the foundation of lifelong health from the very first moments of life. According […]
