Early-Life Determinants of Obesity: Integrating Microbiota-Host Interactions and Long-term Metabolic Trajectories

Obesity is a major and accelerating global endocrine challenge, increasingly recognized as a disease of developmental origin. Research in developmental endocrinology and metabolic programming demonstrates that the first 1,000 days of life—from conception to early childhood—constitute a critical window of biological and behavioral plasticity. During this period, exposures related to nutrition, environmental chemicals, stress, and socioeconomic status intersect with host genetics and gut microbiota development to influence long-term metabolic health. Evidence from longitudinal and mechanistic studies underscores the central role of the microbiota as a mediator of external influences on host physiology through nutritional metabolism, immune modulation, and neuroendocrine communication. Despite mounting knowledge, critical gaps persist regarding how diverse environmental and psychosocial exposures synergize across systems to determine life-long obesity risk, metabolic resilience, and global disease disparities.This Research Topic aims to integrate multidisciplinary perspectives that uncover how early-life environmental, microbial, and endocrine factors intersect to shape obesity trajectories. By bridging mechanistic insights from microbiota-host interactions with epidemiological and global health approaches, this initiative seeks to advance the understanding of early metabolic programming. It will particularly explore whether integrative models linking the exposome, microbiome, and metabolic outcomes can inform equitable interventions and predictive frameworks. Key guiding questions include: (1) how do early biological and social environments influence microbiota composition and endocrine regulation? (2) what are the mechanisms and biomarkers linking early exposures with later metabolic disease? and (3) how can these insights be used to design preventive strategies across different populations?To gather further insights into early-life metabolic programming and its lifelong implications, we welcome Original Research and Systematic Review articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Life-course epidemiology and cohort evidence: longitudinal, birth-cohort, or multi-generational studies identifying causal pathways from early-life exposures to obesity.o Microbiota-host crosstalk: microbial mechanisms mediating nutritional, chemical, or psychosocial determinants of metabolism.o Endocrine and epigenetic programming: molecular and endocrine pathways linking early exposures to energy balance and adipose tissue development.o Psychosocial and socioeconomic determinants: effects of stress, adversity, and inequality on endocrine and metabolic outcomes across populations.o Predictive modeling and prevention: artificial intelligence, exposome modeling, and microbiota-targeted interventions for early obesity risk mitigation.o Global and community health strategies: addressing disparities in health outcomes and policy approaches to reduce metabolic disease burden.Please note that meta-analyses, Mendelian Randomization studies, and bibliometric analyses are not within the scope of this journal and will not be considered for publication. Topic editors: Peng Xiong, Zhiyong Dong, Jie Chen Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/83712/early-life-determinants-of-obesity-integrating-microbiota-host-interactions-and-long-term-metabolic-trajectories