HIHI launches clinical evaluation study highlighting new Irish research which sets to tackle childhood obesity with breakthrough probiotic strain

As children across Ireland return to school this autumn, groundbreaking new Irish research offers renewed hope in the fight against childhood obesity—an issue that continues to rise nationwide. Led by Dr. Harriët Schellekens, Senior Lecturer at University College Cork, and supported by Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI), the research introduces a promising microbiome-based intervention centred on the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium longum APC1472.

Recent data reveals that childhood obesity is an escalating global health crisis. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2022, approximately 37 million children under age 5 were overweight or obese. Even more startling is that among children and adolescents aged 5‑19, over 390 million were classified as overweight, including 160 million with obesity. This marks a dramatic rise from 8% in 1990 to 20% in 2022, with obesity rates climbing from about 2% to 8% across that period.

Here in Ireland, more than 20% of Irish children and youth are now classified as overweight or obese, placing Ireland amongst the highest in Europe which is a troubling metric. Up to 8% of Irish children under-5 and 16% of older children carry excessive weight.

The topic is current from the Irish Government’s perspective. Last month, the Minister for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor launched a public consultation to inform the development of Ireland’s next Obesity Policy and Action Plan. Individuals, communities, healthcare professionals, and organisations are encouraged to share their insights, experiences, and recommendations in shaping a new, inclusive strategy to tackle obesity.

Minister Murnane O’Connor, said: “Obesity is one of the most pressing public health challenges facing Ireland today, with over half of our adult population affected by overweight or obesity. This is not just a personal health issue—it’s a national concern that impacts our healthcare system, our communities, and our future. Thanks to the current strategy, we’ve made important progress in stabilising obesity rates and implementing key actions, but now we must go further”.

It is timely that new groundbreaking Irish research by Dr. Harriët Schellekens—Senior Lecturer at University College Cork supported through a clinical evaluation delivered by Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI), has recently identified a promising microbiome-based strategy to combat childhood obesity.

The innovative research focuses on a unique probiotic strain, Bifidobacterium longum APC1472, which has demonstrated the ability to regulate appetite, reduce stress, and improve key metabolic markers. This novel approach offers a compelling non-pharmaceutical alternative to current treatments and responds to an urgent need for behaviour-focused and gut-brain axis interventions in childhood obesity care.

With childhood obesity rising and treatment options limited, Bifidobacterium longum APC1472 represents a promising, research-backed intervention. By targeting the root behavioural and metabolic causes of obesity through the gut–brain axis, this probiotic could be a game-changer in paediatric care—when supported by timely trials, clinician education, and integrated public health planning.

Dr. Harriët Schellekens highlighted the challenge to children and parents. She stressed the importance of supporting healthy eating habits early in life, when patterns are still forming. The research focuses on the gut-brain connection—how the microbes in our gut can influence how we feel and what we crave. By understanding this link, Dr. Schellekens said “The aim is to develop practical, science-based ways to help children build a healthier relationship with food that lasts into adulthood.”

Traditional public health efforts have seen limited success, and medical treatments such as GLP-1 receptor agonists remain expensive, controversial, and age-limited.

“This probiotic may provide a safe, scalable, and science-driven solution,” said Michael Twomey Senior Clinical Research Manager at HIHI. “It’s about empowering families and clinicians with more options—especially those that address both the body and brain.”

About the research based microbiome solution

Dr. Schellekens and her team have discovered that the Bifidobacterium longum APC1472 probiotic strain :

• Reduces fasting blood glucose levels
• Lowers cortisol (the stress hormone)
• Normalises ghrelin (the hunger hormone)
• Targets gut-brain pathways linked to compulsive eating and stress-related overeating

In both preclinical and human trials, this probiotic demonstrated measurable impacts on appetite regulation, stress hormones, and feeding behaviour—especially critical in early-life obesity. Notably, preclinical data also suggest the probiotic may reverse long-term behavioural changes induced by high-calorie diets during childhood.

“Obesity is not just a metabolic condition—it’s also deeply behavioural and neurochemical,” said Dr. Harriët Schellekens. “Our work shows that by acting on both the gut and brain, B. longum APC1472 could form part of an early intervention toolkit for children at risk of obesity.”

Dr. Schellekens and the Health Innovation Hub Ireland team conducted an in-depth healthcare solution outcome report. The process included:

• Organising interviews with paediatricians, GPs, and endocrinologists
• Structuring clinical questions and gathering professional insights
• Analysing feasibility and relevance for Irish healthcare settings
• Providing strategic guidance on clinical trial design, product positioning, and implementation

The results of the clinical evaluation study provided some key findings from healthcare professionals:

• Behavioural focus is essential: Compulsive eating, sugar cravings, and poor portion control are major drivers of childhood obesity.
• Clinical trial interest: Strong enthusiasm was expressed for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), especially targeting the 5–7 age group.
• Gap in treatment pathways: While GLP-1 receptor agonists are emerging in adolescent obesity treatment, many families seek non-drug alternatives.
• Underutilised probiotic therapies: Clinicians recognised the untapped potential of microbiota-based interventions and called for more evidence-based approaches.
• Recruitment viability: Experts noted a strong base of over 350,000 children in Munster and available school-based health programs to support future studies.

HIHI’s coordination and insights were instrumental, said Dr. Schellekens. “They ensured our research was shaped by frontline feedback and real-world needs, making it more impactful and actionable.”

What does the future hold? The insights from this evaluation will directly inform the next phase of development, including:

• Designing RCTs to assess the probiotic in Irish children
• Creating combination strategies with nutrition and behavioural therapy
• Building awareness among paediatricians, dietitians, and caregivers
• Preparing for regulatory and commercial pathways across Ireland and Europe

 Read the full case study here:

https://hih.ie/downloads/case-studies/HIHI-case-study_Harriet-Schellekens.pdf