Abstract
Background: Due to successful treatment modalities, the majority of pediatric cancer patients will survive. Increased body mass index (BMI) is a complication among pediatric cancer survivors. Methods: This retrospective single-center study examined BMI changes among a cohort of predominantly Hispanic patients who were treated in South Los Angeles. Data were collected at diagnosis, 1, 2 and 3 years after. Analyses included z-scores derived from calculated BMIs compared over 3 years per gender, diagnosis, and treatment modality. The unhealthy BMI z-score was defined as >1.04. Results: Thirty-four percent of the predominantly Hispanic sample had unhealthy BMI z-scores of >1.04 correlating to at or greater than the 85th percentile for age and gender. The study cohort’s BMI z-scores significantly increased from 0.15 to 1.29 at year 3 (P < 0.0001), putting 55% of this population in the unhealthy category. Median BMI z-score significantly increased to the unhealthy category at 3 years. Conclusions: Due to the predominance of Hispanic patients in this group, culturally sensitive interventions beginning at diagnosis should be considered.
Highlights
Around 15,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States [1]
Increased body mass index (BMI) is a complication among pediatric cancer survivors. This retrospective single-center study examined BMI changes among a cohort of predominantly Hispanic patients who were treated in South Los Angeles
Median BMI z-score significantly increased to the unhealthy category at 3 years
Summary
As a result of improved treatment modalities, more than 80% of pediatric cancer patients survive. There are currently over 500,000 pediatric cancer survivors in the United States [2]. Due to successful treatment modalities, the majority of pediatric cancer patients will survive. Increased body mass index (BMI) is a complication among pediatric cancer survivors. Analyses included z-scores derived from calculated BMIs compared over 3 years per gender, diagnosis, and treatment modality. Results: Thirty-four percent of the predominantly Hispanic sample had unhealthy BMI z-scores of >1.04 correlating to at or greater than the 85th percentile for age and gender. The study cohort’s BMI z-scores significantly increased from 0.15 to 1.29 at year 3 (P < 0.0001), putting 55% of this population in the unhealthy category. Median BMI z-score significantly increased to the unhealthy category at 3 years. Conclusions: Due to the predominance of Hispanic patients in this group, culturally sensitive interventions beginning at diagnosis should be considered
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