Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 6, 2025

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

27.6K

Healthcare utilisation in overweight and obese children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Taimoor Hasan1,2, Tom S Ainscough3, Jane West2

  • 1Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, North Yorkshire, UK th1132@york.ac.uk.

BMJ Open
|October 9, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Childhood obesity is linked to higher healthcare use, including more emergency and outpatient visits. This review highlights the significant impact of excess weight on health service utilization in pediatric populations.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Public Health
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Overweight and obesity are significant global health concerns in children.
  • Understanding the impact of excess weight on healthcare utilization is crucial for resource allocation and public health planning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically analyze the association between overweight/obesity and health service utilization in children.
  • To synthesize findings from observational studies and conduct meta-analyses where data permits.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies published up to May 2020.
  • Inclusion criteria: participants ≤19 years, assessment of overweight/obesity impact on healthcare utilization.
  • Data sources: PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science.

Main Results:

  • Thirty-three studies were included, showing a positive association between obesity/overweight and increased healthcare utilization.
  • Meta-analysis revealed significantly higher rates of emergency department (ED) visits (RR 1.34) and outpatient visits (RR 1.11) in obese children compared to normal-weight children.
  • Overweight children showed slightly higher, non-significant increases in ED and outpatient visits.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood obesity is associated with increased healthcare utilization across various measures.
  • Future research should explore the influence of ethnicity and obesity-related comorbidities on healthcare utilization in children.
Abstract

Keywords:
paediatricspublic healthstatistics & research methods

More Related Videos

Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report05:10

Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report

Published on: May 30, 2025

726
Determining Gender-Based Differences in Retinal and Choroidal Thickness in Underweight Individuals via Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography03:35

Determining Gender-Based Differences in Retinal and Choroidal Thickness in Underweight Individuals via Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography

Published on: December 1, 2023

496

Related Concept Videos

Drug Dosing: Obese Patients01:21

Drug Dosing: Obese Patients

In the United States, obesity is a prominent concern. It is linked to heightened mortality rates due to increased occurrences of conditions such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and diabetes compared to nonobese individuals. A patient is classified as obese if their actual body weight surpasses the ideal or desirable body weight by 20%, based on Metropolitan Life Insurance Company data. Ideal body weights consider average weights and heights for males and females...
114
Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Absorption and Distribution01:25

Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Absorption and Distribution

Obesity significantly alters the pharmacokinetic processes of drug absorption and distribution, presenting unique challenges in medical treatment. The increased fat tissue and decreased lean muscle in obese individuals can significantly affect how drugs are absorbed into the body and distributed across different tissues. This alteration can lead to variances in the effectiveness and safety of medications, necessitating adjustments in dosing or drug selection for obese patients.One notable...
133
Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Metabolism and Excretion01:20

Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Metabolism and Excretion

Drug metabolism, a critical process in the liver, involves two primary phases: Phase I reactions and Phase II conjugation. Obesity introduces significant alterations in this metabolic process, primarily due to fatty infiltration of the liver, leading to conditions such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This condition can modify the activities of both Phase I and II enzymes, impacting how drugs are metabolized in obese patients.Phase I metabolism sees variable effects across...
95
Obesity01:24

Obesity

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in...
999
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses...
107
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
130