Gender and Racial/Ethnic Variation in Obesity Severity across the Pediatric Lifespan

Abstract

Background: Pediatric obesity remains a significant public health issue within the U. S., affecting up to 17% of children. Given ongoing evidence of increased health risks associated with increasing severity of obesity, efforts have been made to better define and characterize this higher risk pediatric cohort. This study examines trends in the degree of obesity by sex and race/ethnicity across the pediatric lifespan to characterize a contemporary cohort of children with obesity receiving care in the community-based setting. Methods: We utilized data from a large and diverse population cohort …