Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Childhood obesity is a severe public health concern. Various complications are recognised in adults, but the data remains limited in the paediatric population. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the complications observed in children and young people (CYP) with obesity.

Method: Retrospective data collection from 125 CYP aged between 0 and 18 years with a body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS) of two or more above the mean. Information for each patient regarding complications was analysed from the database.

Results: The mean age of the CYP was 10.9 years (SD±3.62, range: 2-18) with 65% of patients being female. The average BMI was 32.9 kg/m² (SD±6.6, range: 22.7-58.3) and average BMI SDS was +3.5 (SD±1.1, range: +2.06-+7.85). 47% and 33% of patients had 2 or more complications and at least one complication secondary to obesity, respectively. The most common complication was dyslipidaemia seen in 25% of individuals. This was followed by hypertension (18%) and mental health issues (18%), which included depression, anxiety and self-harm. 31% of patients had risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) [family history, acanthosis nigricans and/or insulin resistance]. Of those who had an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), 11.4% of the CYP were diagnosed with pre-diabetes and 9% with T2DM. Obstructive sleep apnoea and mobility issues were seen in 21% and 11% of individuals, retrospectively. Pubertal disorders were seen in 10% and 18% of individuals were diagnosed or had symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome. Other complications include raised intracranial hypertension, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, liver fibrosis, slipped upper femoral epiphysis, skin infections, nocturnal enuresis and gynaecomastia.

Conclusion: 80% of the patients had at least one complication secondary to obesity. It is extremely important to carefully screen children and young people to identify these complications, so that interventions could be introduced as early as possible. The complications of childhood obesity may significantly impact the quality of life of those affected, and optimising weight loss support at an early stage could potentially improve the outcomes.