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Obesity Screening in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients: Rates of Diagnosis, Intervention, and Risk Factors for

Shir Libman1, Michal Vinker-Shuster2, Zvi Perry3

  • 1Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.

The Israel Medical Association Journal : IMAJ
|June 16, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric obesity diagnoses are frequently missed during hospital stays, particularly in young children. Healthcare providers need training to identify and address obesity non-stigmatizingly in hospitalized youth.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Healthcare
  • Obesity Medicine
  • Clinical Informatics

Background:

  • Recent guidelines highlight the critical need for obesity diagnosis and management across all healthcare settings.
  • However, obesity is underrepresented as a chronic diagnosis in hospital records, with limited data on interventions.
  • This study addresses the gap in understanding obesity diagnosis and management during pediatric acute care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the frequency and patterns of obesity-related diagnoses and interventions in hospitalized children.
  • To compare the characteristics of children diagnosed with obesity versus those overlooked.
  • To identify factors associated with missed obesity diagnoses in pediatric acute care.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective cohort study analyzed hospitalization records for patients aged 2-18 years over 30 months.
  • Weight-for-age percentiles were calculated using CDC charts; ≥95th percentile indicated suspected obesity.
  • Obesity-diagnosed and obesity-overlooked patient groups were compared.

Main Results:

  • 8.6% of hospitalized patients (245/2827) met criteria for suspected obesity.
  • Only 15.5% (38/245) were formally diagnosed with obesity, and 17.9% received weight-related discharge recommendations.
  • Obesity was significantly more likely to be overlooked in preschoolers (aOR 11.78) and patients without abdominal complaints (aOR 7.7).

Conclusions:

  • Obesity diagnoses are infrequent during pediatric acute hospitalizations, with younger children being particularly vulnerable to being overlooked.
  • Pediatric healthcare professionals require enhanced training for recognizing and addressing obesity.
  • Implementing non-stigmatizing interventions for pediatric obesity during hospitalization is crucial.
Abstract

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