Soaring Trend of 'Extremely Severe' Obesity Among American Children, According to Research
In a groundbreaking study led by Phillipp Hartmann, an assistant adjunct professor of pediatrics at UCSD and a leading figure at Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, it has been discovered that the percentage of children with "extremely severe" obesity has significantly increased over the past decade and a half in the United States.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open on Wednesday, found that around 1.13% of children in 2023 met the criteria for extremely severe obesity. This equates to approximately 825,000 children among the 73 million under 18 living in the U.S. today.
The researchers identified children with extremely severe obesity using a novel, longitudinal BMI classification method, which tracks BMI over time to better capture growth trajectories and the persistence of excess adiposity. This approach allows for the identification of children with persistent or worsening obesity trajectories, enabling timely interventions and improved prevention of long-term conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
Children with extremely severe obesity face increased risks for multiple adverse health outcomes, including an early onset of cardiometabolic diseases, a substantial immediate and long-term healthcare burden, and an elevated risk of continued obesity into adulthood. The study found that children with extremely severe obesity had much higher rates of diagnosed metabolic disease than children with less severe obesity.
Rates of extremely severe obesity were higher among teens, boys, and non-Hispanic Black children, according to the study. The findings highlight a growing public health emergency, given the much higher prevalence of liver and other health problems among this group of children.
Hartmann believes that patients with classes 4 and 5 obesity, who carry the highest health risks, should be prioritized for access to these treatments. Many people haven't been able to access newer drugs due to shortages or their high costs and limited insurance coverage. The study's findings underscore the need for greater access to obesity treatment, which can include family-oriented lifestyle programs, new and older medications, and, for some cases, bariatric surgery.
Hartmann hopes his study encourages the development of clinical trials specifically tailored to the high-risk population of children with extremely severe obesity. The emergence of more effective GLP-1 medications like semaglutide might be contributing to the decline in the national obesity rate in adults. However, severe obesity hasn't yet stalled among children, according to the same CDC data.
Preventive measures such as clearer product labeling, healthy food subsidies, and community programs emphasizing physical activity could potentially help prevent childhood obesity. Programs that screen for fatty liver and other metabolic diseases may be able to keep these cases from worsening. Hartmann and his team will continue to investigate other aspects of extremely severe pediatric obesity, including the microbiomes of these children.
- The study published in JAMA Network Open reveals a significant rise in children with extremely severe obesity, which could potentially lead to an increase in chronic diseases and health-and-wellness issues in the future.
- Science and technology might offer hope for children with extremely severe obesity, as the development of clinical trials and more effective GLP-1 medications like semaglutide could provide effective treatment options.
- In a bid to combat chronic diseases associated with extremely severe obesity, preventive measures such as promoting fitness-and-exercise, nutrition awareness, and community programs emphasizing physical activity could play a crucial role in the health-and-wellness of future generations.
- The findings suggest that children with extremely severe obesity face a higher risk of developing medical-conditions like liver diseases and cardiometabolic diseases, underscoring the urgent need for more comprehensive and affordable obesity treatment and care.
- As the fight against childhood obesity continues, gizmodo and modern technology could play a vital role in tracking BMI over time, enabling the identification of children with persistent or worsening obesity trajectories and timely interventions.