A continuation of the series chronicling the quest for knowledge about the central nervous pathways responsible for establishing metabolic control.

In chronological order, Childhood Obesity News looks at studies and discoveries about the intersection of oxytocin with weight loss.

The body’s dopaminergic system is influenced by oxytocin, which is why it has been looked at as a potential door into dependencies, addictions, and compulsions.

Many people are more than ready for oxytocin to be a miracle drug, and so far, it is not. Except, perhaps, as an anti-obesity or anti-addiction drug.

Some research indicates oxytocin could potentially not only treat obesity, but prevent it from happening. These developments are worth keeping an eye on.

It seemed that Childhood Obesity News’ examination of currently available weight-loss drugs had come to an end, but no. Oxytocin might be in the running.

Some food myths debunked: chocolate does not cause acne; most store-bought yogurt is crap; margarine kills; salt does not kill; and coffee is okay.

Following an effective strategy for cholecalciferol supplementation should be an imperative practice, especially for overweight and obese individuals.

We need Vitamin D for bone health, muscle function, and an effective immune system, but the jury is still out when it comes to treating obesity, MS or diabetes.

We are keeping an eye on AD04, because the drug is believed to have the potential to treat not only AUD but opioid use disorder, gambling, and obesity.

Under optimal conditions and with mindful compliance, what can be expected from weight-loss drugs?

This continues the saga of one particular weight-loss medication, the injectable beloranib, and its history of adverse reactions.

For a while, the weight-loss drug beloranib, used for patients with Prader-Willi syndrome, had an impressive safety profile, with not too many side effects.

Some of the discussion about weight-loss drugs might not seem relevant to childhood obesity, but the connection is, obese children tend to become obese adults.

Recent studies show that long-term use doesn’t increase blood pressure or the risk of heart attack or stroke, so phentermine is back in the good graces.

Over 100,000 Americans die in a year from adverse drug reactions, a statistic that comes with a price tag of $12 billion.

Liraglutide has been approved as an obesity treatment, and has to be injected daily — but how effective is it, and are the medical risks worth it?

Many front-line medical personnel are not comfortable putting the fate of obese children into the hands of anti-obesity drug manufacturers, but here we are.

Massive fortunes are made not only from the pharmaceuticals themselves, but from providing information about them, including the anti-obesity medications.

This post continues an overview of some investigations into the suspected connection between antibiotics and childhood obesity.

One study shows that administration of antibiotics before children reach two years of age is associated with an increased risk of early childhood obesity.

Exposure to antibiotics in infancy can increase the risk of childhood obesity. Some suggest antibiotics contribute to obesity by slaughtering the gut flora.

A recent study looks at three potential causative (or at least complicating) factors of childhood obesity — infectobesity, the microbiome, and biorhythms.

Childhood Obesity News looks at some of the ups and downs in thinking about food deserts, food scarcity, and food insecurity.

It’s a challenge for people with little money to feed themselves and their families under the best of circumstances, without the whole food-desert issue.

USDA admitted in its report on food deserts that proximity to a supermarket doesn’t seem to affect food choices very much. What other factors affect this issue?

An exciting upcoming CHLA study will look into “An Addiction-Based Mobile Health Weight Loss Intervention With Coaching.”

Taste receptors warn the brain not to let toxins into the body. Because we ingest so much crap, most contemporary humans have messed-up taste capacity.

MSG goes by many aliases, appears in almost every processed food product, and is virtually inescapable.

The tricky part with MSG (glutamate) is that it appears on food labeling under several dozen terms, some of them very innocent-sounding.