Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Childhood and adolescent obesity is a growing global health concern, with prevalence rates rising significantly in recent decades. While the association between abnormal weight status and adverse health outcomes in young adulthood is well established, less is known about its impact on healthcare resource utilization (HRU) during childhood and adolescence. This study investigates the relationship between weight status and HRU among a large pediatric population.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study included all Meuhedet Health Services (MHS) members born between 2006 and 2018. BMI measurements between 2022-2024 were extracted from electronic medical records, and members were classified into weight categories using the US-CDC guidelines. Annual HRU across weight category was compared to the normal BMI category using multivariate logistic regression adjusted for socioeconomic status and sector.
RESULTS: BMI measurements were recorded for 238,304 members aged 6-18 years (49% adolescents aged 12-18, 48% females). Two-thirds had normal BMI while 7% were underweight, 14% were overweight, and 9%, 3% and 1% were included in obesity classes 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Among children aged 6-11 years, higher BMI was linked to increased pulmonologist and orthopedist visits, while the number of primary physician and emergency departments visits rose with BMI status among adolescents. Across both age groups, dietitian and mental health specialist visits, laboratory tests and hospitalizations were significantly associated with BMI category. Notably, adolescents with class 1, 2, and 3 obesity were 1.3, 1.5, and 1.7 times more likely to be hospitalized, compared to their normal-weight peers.
CONCLUSIONS: This large-scale study shows that elevated weight status in children and adolescents is linked to increased healthcare utilization, including physician visits, hospitalizations, and medication use. These findings underscore the need for global attention and targeted interventions to address the multifaceted causes of pediatric obesity and its impact on health systems.