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Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report
Published on: May 30, 2025
Pediatric obesity and gallstone disease
Corinna Koebnick1, Ning Smith, Mary Helen Black
1Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA. Corinna.Koebnick@kp.org
Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|February 9, 2012
Summary
Childhood obesity significantly increases gallstone risk in adolescents, particularly in girls. Oral contraceptive use further elevates this risk, signaling a growing public health concern for pediatricians.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Gastroenterology
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood and adolescent obesity rates are rising globally.
- Gallstone disease (cholelithiasis) is increasingly diagnosed in younger populations.
- The interplay between obesity, oral contraceptive use, and gallstones in adolescents requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between obesity in children and adolescents and the risk of developing gallstones.
- To investigate the potential modifying effect of oral contraceptive (OC) use on this association in adolescent girls.
Main Methods:
- A population-based, cross-sectional study utilizing electronic medical records.
- Inclusion of 510,816 patients aged 10-19 years from 2007-2009.
- Data extraction included weight, height, OC use, and diagnosis of cholelithiasis or choledocholithiasis.
Main Results:
- Obesity was strongly associated with increased gallstone risk in both sexes, with extreme obesity showing the highest odds ratios.
- Adolescent girls exhibited a significantly higher risk of gallstones compared to boys across all weight categories.
- Oral contraceptive use in girls was independently associated with a 2-fold increased odds of gallstones and interacted with weight class.
Conclusions:
- The increasing prevalence of extreme obesity in children and adolescents is expected to lead to a rise in gallstone disease cases.
- Pediatricians must be aware of the heightened gallstone risk associated with obesity and oral contraceptive use in this demographic.
- Early identification and management strategies for gallstone disease in obese adolescents are crucial.
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