BPG is committed to discovery and dissemination of knowledge
Articles Published Processes
10/9/2026 4:02:21 AM | Browse: 5 | Download: 2
 |
Received |
|
2026-03-11 03:23 |
|
Peer-Review Started |
|
2026-03-11 03:24 |
|
First Decision by Editorial Office Director |
|
2026-04-30 08:52 |
|
Return for Revision |
|
2026-04-30 08:52 |
|
Revised |
|
2026-05-13 02:30 |
 |
Publication Fee Transferred |
|
|
|
Second Decision by Editor |
|
2026-06-17 02:38 |
|
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief |
|
|
|
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director |
|
2026-06-17 03:34 |
|
Articles in Press |
|
2026-06-17 03:34 |
|
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor |
|
|
|
Typeset the Manuscript |
|
2026-07-17 00:24 |
|
Publish the Manuscript Online |
|
2026-10-09 04:02 |
| ISSN |
2219-2808 (online) |
| Open Access |
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See Permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. |
| Copyright |
©Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2026. No commercial re-use. See Permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. |
| Article Reprints |
For details, please visit: http://www.wjgnet.com/bpg/gerinfo/247
|
| Permissions |
For details, please visit: http://www.wjgnet.com/bpg/gerinfo/207
|
| Publisher |
Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA |
| Website |
http://www.wjgnet.com |
| Category |
Pediatrics |
| Manuscript Type |
Review |
| Article Title |
Prefrontal cortex immaturity and reward circuit hijacking: Why anti-obesity policies fail to protect children from ultra-processed food overconsumption
|
| Manuscript Source |
Invited Manuscript |
| All Author List |
Manuel Alejandro Vargas-Vargas, Marcela González-Montoya, Olin Torres-Isidro, Ana Paula Martínez-González, María Guadalupe Cuiniche-Méndez, Danna Paola García-Romero, Miguel Angel Reyes-Orozco, Elizabeth Calderón-Cortés, Alain Raimundo Rodríguez-Orozco and Christian Cortés-Rojo |
| ORCID |
|
| Funding Agency and Grant Number |
| Funding Agency |
Grant Number |
| Programa Proyectos de Investigación financiados 2026 |
No. 47683 |
| Awarded Postdoctoral Fellowships |
No. 472544 and No. 589763 |
|
| Corresponding Author |
Christian Cortés-Rojo, PhD, Professor, Instituto de Investigaciones Químico-Biológicas, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Edificio B-3, Ciudad Universitaria, Avenida Fco J Mujica, Morelia 58030, Michoacán, Mexico. christian.cortes@umich.mx |
| Key Words |
Childhood obesity; Ultra-processed foods; Food addiction; Prefrontal cortex; Reward system; Public health policy; Parental education; Family-based therapy |
| Core Tip |
The obesity epidemic in the pediatric population has been linked to the overconsumption of ultra-processed foods, whose hyper-palatability stimulates reward and disrupts the balance between the immature prefrontal cortex and the overactive reward circuitry during neurodevelopment. Current regulatory measures such as front-of-pack labelling, nutrition-based taxation and advertising restrictions have shown disappointing results in decreasing pediatric obesity. We propose a paradigm shift by giving parents education programs, developing early self-regulation skills in children, implementing cognitive behavioral and family-based therapies, and carefully evaluating dopamine-targeted pharmacological agents as a potential future option for severe, treatment-refractory cases, given limited long-term safety data in children. |
| Publish Date |
2026-10-09 04:02 |
| Citation |
Vargas-Vargas MA, González-Montoya M, Torres-Isidro O, Martínez-González AP, Cuiniche-Méndez MG, García-Romero DP, Reyes-Orozco MA, Calderón-Cortés E, Rodríguez-Orozco AR, Cortés-Rojo C. Prefrontal cortex immaturity and reward circuit hijacking: Why anti-obesity policies fail to protect children from ultra-processed food overconsumption. World J Clin Pediatr 2026; 15(4): 120921
|
| URL |
https://www.wjgnet.com/2219-2808/full/v15/i4/120921.htm |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5409/wjcp.120921 |
Copyright © 1993-2026 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA. All rights reserved, including rights relating to text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. For open-access content, the applicable copyright and licensing terms govern.
