Researchers are testing whether teaching young children about Mediterranean eating habits and getting them to exercise more can prevent obesity. The study, called MELI-POP, will follow 310 children aged 3-6 years in Spain for up to 10 years. Half the children will receive regular healthcare, while the other half will get special education about healthy Mediterranean foods (like olive oil and fish), free exercise classes, and support from their families. Scientists want to see if this approach can help kids stay at a healthy weight and avoid weight-related health problems as they grow up.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether teaching young children about Mediterranean-style eating and regular exercise can prevent them from becoming overweight or obese as they grow up.
  • Who participated: 310 children aged 3-6 years old from Spain who are at risk for weight problems (either normal weight or slightly overweight, with at least one parent who is overweight). The study takes place in regular primary health care centers.
  • Key finding: This is a study protocol paper, so results aren’t available yet. Researchers expect to see benefits in preventing childhood obesity and related health problems over 5-10 years of follow-up.
  • What it means for you: If successful, this research could show that starting healthy eating and exercise habits very early in childhood—ages 3-6—is an effective way to prevent weight problems. This may suggest that parents should introduce Mediterranean-style foods and regular physical activity to young children, especially if there’s a family history of weight issues.

The Research Details

This is a randomized controlled trial, which is considered one of the strongest types of scientific studies. Researchers will divide 310 children into two groups randomly—like flipping a coin to decide who gets what. One group (the control group) will receive normal healthcare advice from their doctors. The other group (the intervention group) will receive special education about Mediterranean eating patterns, free olive oil and fish to eat at home at least twice a week, and three free exercise classes per week led by a physical education teacher.

The study will follow these children for 5 to 10 years to see if the intervention group stays healthier and maintains better weights than the control group. The study is happening in Spain across multiple primary health care centers, which means it’s based in regular doctor’s offices rather than special research hospitals.

Researchers will track many things beyond just weight, including what the children eat, how much they exercise, how long they sleep, their fitness levels, blood markers related to heart and metabolic health, and even changes in their gut bacteria and genes.

Starting healthy habits very early in childhood—before obesity develops—may be more effective than trying to fix weight problems later. This study design is important because it compares a new intervention directly against regular care, which helps prove whether the Mediterranean diet and exercise approach actually works. By following children for many years, researchers can see if early intervention has long-lasting benefits.

This is a well-designed study with several strengths: it’s randomized (reducing bias), it includes multiple health centers (making results more broadly applicable), it has a clear control group for comparison, and it will follow participants for a long time (5-10 years). The study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, which means it’s transparent and monitored. However, since this is a protocol paper (the plan before results), we don’t yet know if the study will successfully recruit all 310 children or how well families will stick with the program.

What the Results Show

This paper describes the study plan rather than actual results. The main goal is to measure body fat and weight changes in children who receive Mediterranean diet education and exercise programs compared to children receiving usual care. Researchers will look at whether children in the intervention group have lower rates of obesity 5 and 10 years after the program starts.

The study will measure adiposity (body fat) using standard methods that doctors use to assess children’s weight status. By comparing the two groups over many years, researchers hope to show that the Mediterranean diet approach combined with regular exercise can prevent children from becoming overweight or obese.

Because this is a long-term study, researchers will also collect information about what children eat, their physical activity levels, sleep patterns, and various blood markers that indicate metabolic health. This comprehensive approach will help explain how and why the intervention works, not just whether it works.

Beyond weight, the study will examine several other important health measures: dietary habits and food choices, physical activity levels and exercise patterns, lifestyle behaviors like screen time and sleep duration, physical fitness and strength, blood markers related to inflammation and heart health, fatty acid levels, and even changes in gut bacteria and genetic factors. These secondary outcomes will help researchers understand the full picture of how Mediterranean diet and exercise affect children’s overall health and development.

Previous research suggests that the Mediterranean diet is healthy for adults and may help prevent heart disease and obesity. However, there’s less research on whether this eating pattern works specifically for young children (ages 3-6) to prevent obesity from developing in the first place. Most obesity prevention studies focus on older children or on treating obesity after it develops. This study is unique because it targets very young children at risk before obesity starts, which may be more effective than waiting to intervene later.

Since this is a protocol paper (the study plan), we don’t yet know the actual limitations from results. However, potential challenges include: families may not stick with the program over 10 years, the study only includes children in Spain so results may not apply everywhere, children whose parents are very busy may have trouble attending exercise sessions, and it’s hard to control what children eat at home or at school. Additionally, genetics and other family factors beyond diet and exercise affect weight, so the intervention may work better for some children than others.

The Bottom Line

This research is still in progress, so we can’t make final recommendations yet. However, the study design suggests that parents of young children (especially those with a family history of weight problems) should consider introducing Mediterranean-style foods like olive oil, fish, fruits, and vegetables, along with regular physical activity. Aim for at least 3 hours per week of moderate-to-vigorous exercise for young children. These changes appear to be safe and healthy regardless of the study outcome. Confidence level: Moderate (based on existing evidence that Mediterranean diet is healthy, though this specific study hasn’t reported results yet).

This research is most relevant for: parents of young children (ages 3-6), families with a history of weight problems or obesity, healthcare providers working with children, and public health officials designing obesity prevention programs. This study may be less relevant for families where weight is not a concern or for children older than 6 years old, though the principles may still apply.

If the intervention works, researchers expect to see measurable differences in weight and health markers within the first 5 years. However, the most significant benefits may appear after 10 years of follow-up, as children grow and develop. Real-world changes in eating and exercise habits may show benefits within weeks to months, but preventing obesity is a long-term goal.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track weekly fish and olive oil consumption (goal: at least 2 servings of fish per week and regular olive oil use in meals) and weekly physical activity minutes for children (goal: 180 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous activity). Log these in a simple weekly checklist format.
  • Use the app to set reminders for meal planning with Mediterranean foods, schedule family exercise sessions, and track which healthy foods your child tries each week. Create a reward system (non-food based) for completing exercise sessions and trying new healthy foods.
  • Monthly check-ins on adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern and exercise routine. Track trends in activity levels and dietary variety over 3-month periods. Use the app to monitor sleep duration and screen time as supporting health metrics. Share progress reports with healthcare providers during regular check-ups.

This article describes a research study protocol and does not report final results. The MELI-POP study is ongoing and results are not yet available. This information is for educational purposes only and should not replace advice from your child’s healthcare provider. Before making significant changes to your child’s diet or exercise routine, especially if your child has any health conditions, consult with your pediatrician or a registered dietitian. The findings from this study, once completed, may or may not apply to all children or all populations. Individual results vary based on genetics, family circumstances, and adherence to lifestyle changes.