Body mass index in children with newly diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease: observations from two multicenter North American inception cohorts.
OBJECTIVE
To conduct a systematic review of children with newly diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from 2 prospective inception cohorts to examine body mass index (BMI) status at presentation.


METHODS
Clinical, demographic, and BMI data were obtained from 783 patients with newly diagnosed IBD. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data for 2748 healthy children were used as a control.


RESULTS
Most children with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis had a BMI in the normative range (5%-84%). Low BMI (<5%) was seen in 22% to 24% of children with Crohn's disease and 7% to 9% of children with ulcerative colitis. Ten percent of children with Crohn's disease and 20% to 30% of children with ulcerative colitis had a BMI at diagnosis consistent with overweight or risk for overweight.


CONCLUSIONS
Children with IBD are affected by current population trends toward overweight. A significant subgroup of children with newly diagnosed IBD has a BMI categorized as overweight or at risk for overweight. Clinicians should be aware of possible IBD diagnosis in the presence increased BMI.
Kugathasan
Subra
S
Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. skuga@mcw.edu
Nebel
Justin
J
Skelton
Joseph A
JA
Markowitz
James
J
Keljo
David
D
Rosh
Joel
J
LeLeiko
Neal
N
Mack
David
D
Griffiths
Anne
A
Bousvaros
Athos
A
Evans
Jonathan
J
Mezoff
Adam
A
Moyer
Susan
S
Oliva-Hemker
Maria
M
Otley
Anthony
A
Pfefferkorn
Mariann
M
Crandall
Wallace
W
Wyllie
Robert
R
Hyams
Jeffrey
J
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009656:North America / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight; D011446:Prospective Studies; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values; D012042:Registries