Relationship between body mass index and pediatric urologic diagnoses

We had the clinical impression that children with certain urological diagnoses were thinner and others were heavier. We therefore reviewed body mass index (BMI) in children with a variety of urological diagnoses.

The data from all pediatric patients treated as outpatients in our office between 1 Jan and 30 Sept 2004 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were counted only once, even if they came back to the office several times. They were grouped by the principal billing diagnosis, but groups of less than nine patients were excluded. BMI percentiles were determined based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and compared to diagnosis codes.

The data from 1054 patients were analyzed: 53% were female, mean age was 8.0+/-3.7, mean BMI was 18.7+/-5.1 and mean BMI percentile was 64+/-31%. BMI varied significantly by diagnosis. Children with hernias and penile problems had the lowest BMI percentile and those with urinary infection and incontinence the highest, e.g. the mean BMI percentile was 46+/-31% for children with a hernia but 71+/-27% for those patients with nocturnal enuresis.

The rate of obesity varied considerably based on pediatric urological diagnosis. Diet and personality may be part of the etiology for some urological disorders. It is possible that lifestyle changes may benefit urological patients who are obese.