Childhood Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Cardiometabolic Risk

This chapter synthesizes current research on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical management of childhood obesity and its associated cardiometabolic complications, including early-onset type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It critically reviews the evidence base for behavioral, pharmacological, and surgical interventions, and explores the role of the gut microbiome, epigenetics, and socio-environmental determinants in shaping metabolic risk trajectories from early childhood into adolescence.