Could a Mediterranean lifestyle help preschool girls at risk of obesity? A new study suggests it might

If your young child has a family history of obesity, you might wonder what you can do to help them build healthy habits. A new study tested whether a Mediterranean lifestyle—focusing on diet and physical activity—could make a difference for preschoolers at risk. The trial followed 206 children in Spain, aged 3 to 6, who had at least one parent with overweight or obesity. One group received fish, olive oil, nutrition education, and twice-weekly physical activity sessions for a year. The other group got general health advice not related to diet or exercise. The results showed a clear difference between boys and girls. For the girls who followed the Mediterranean lifestyle, their body mass index (BMI) and a measure of body fat improved compared to girls in the control group. These positive changes were not seen in the boys. The study did not find significant differences in other heart health markers, like blood pressure or cholesterol, for either group. The findings suggest that this type of healthy lifestyle intervention might be particularly beneficial for young girls at risk of obesity, but more research is needed to understand why the effects differed by sex.