title: Early childhood obesity: Association with healthcare expenditure in Australia.
abstract: To determine whether overweight or obesity among children (aged 2 to ≤5 years) is associated with direct healthcare costs, after adjusting for child, household, and socioeconomic characteristics.
  
  
  
  A longitudinal cohort analysis was performed in 350 children aged 2 years assessed over 3 years of follow-up. Child weight status was determined from mean BMI z-scores at 2, 3.5, and 5 years, and healthcare utilization including medicines, nonhospital, hospital, and emergency care was determined by data linkage. Using adjusted multivariable regression analyses, the relationship between total 3-year healthcare costs and weight status was examined. Observations took place in Sydney, Australia, between 2011 and 2014.
  
  
  
  After adjustment for significant maternal and sociodemographic characteristics, healthcare costs of children with obesity (BMI z-score >2SD) were 1.62 (95% CI 1.12-2.34, P = 0.01) times those of children with healthy weight. However, costs of overweight children were similar to those of healthy weight (P = 0.96). The additional 3-year costs of healthcare for a child with obesity compared with healthy weight were $AUD 825 (95% CI $135-$2,117) for general patients and $AUD 1332 (95% CI $174-$4,280) for concession card holders.
  
  
  
  Prevention of obesity in early childhood may have concurrent benefits in reducing healthcare expenditure.
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chevalier
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Clinical Research Centre, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Souza
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|The Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baur
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Health Promotion Service, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Li Ming
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simpson
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000191:economics*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000191:economics*; D012044:Regression Analysis