Prevalence of Extremely Severe Obesity Increasing in Children
TUESDAY, July 22, 2025 -- From 2008 to 2023, there was an increase in the prevalence of extremely severe obesity in children, especially among older adolescents and non-Hispanic Black children, according to a study published online July 16 in JAMA Network Open.
Eliane Münte, from the University of California, San Diego, in La Jolla, and colleagues examined trends in pediatric obesity over time and assessed the association between degree of obesity and comorbidities in a cross-sectional study using data from pediatric participants aged 2 to 18 years from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2008 through 2023.
A total of 25,847 participants were included in the cohort (median age, 10.0 years). The researchers found that the prevalence of pediatric obesity increased from 2008 to 2023, with the highest relative increase seen for extremely severe obesity, from 0.32 to 1.13 percent, respectively (253.1 percent increase). Extremely severe obesity was particularly prevalent among adolescents aged 16 to 18 years and non-Hispanic Black participants (1.99 and 2.04 percent, respectively). Extremely severe obesity was associated with higher odds of metabolic complications compared with milder forms of obesity, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, prediabetes or diabetes, severe insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome (odds ratios, 6.74, 4.94, 8.05, and 1.99, respectively).
"The increasing prevalence of extremely severe pediatric obesity and its associated health consequences underscore the need for immediate public health interventions," the authors write.
One author disclosed ties to Nterica Bio.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Read this next
Cancer Survival Lower in Rural Areas
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 1, 2025 -- Five-year cancer survival rates for each stage of cancer (localized, regional, and distant) is lower in nonmetropolitan areas for Black and White...
Metabolic Surgery Has Greater Long-Term Benefits Than GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 1, 2025 -- People with obesity and type 2 diabetes who undergo metabolic surgery live longer and face fewer serious health problems compared with patients treated...
Loss of Smell May Linger After COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 1, 2025 -- Self-reported change or loss in smell or taste is an accurate signal of verified hyposmia after COVID-19, although there is also a high rate of hyposmia...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.