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Obesity and symptomatic cholelithiasis in childhood: epidemiologic and case-control evidence for a strong relation

Kelly Fradin1, Andrew D Racine, Peter F Belamarich

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, General Pediatrics Division, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.

Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|August 24, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Rising childhood obesity rates correlate with increased hospitalizations for symptomatic gallstones. Obesity is a significant risk factor for pediatric gallstone disease, highlighting a critical public health concern.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Childhood obesity prevalence has risen dramatically.
  • Gallstone disease (cholelithiasis) is increasingly diagnosed in pediatric populations.
  • Understanding the link between obesity and gallstones is crucial for public health initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To correlate temporal trends in childhood obesity with hospitalization rates for symptomatic gallstones.
  • To assess the association between obesity and symptomatic gallstones in hospitalized children.
  • To investigate pediatric cholelithiasis in a multiethnic urban population.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for obesity data (1997-2007).
  • Analyzed Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) for cholelithiasis hospitalization rates (1997-2007).
  • Conducted a matched case-control study (ages 4-20) comparing gallstone cases with appendicitis controls.

Main Results:

  • Obesity prevalence and gallstone hospitalization rates showed a significant positive correlation over time (R=0.87).
  • A 1% increase in childhood obesity correlated with a 0.65/100,000 increase in gallstone hospitalizations.
  • Obesity was a strong risk factor for gallstones (OR=5.78), with a 79% increased risk per BMI z-score increase.

Conclusions:

  • National trends show a significant correlation between rising obesity and pediatric gallstone hospitalizations.
  • Obesity is identified as a significant risk factor for hospital admission due to symptomatic cholelithiasis in children.
  • Findings underscore the impact of the obesity epidemic on pediatric healthcare utilization.
Abstract

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