title: Severe Obesity Decreasing in Children in Cincinnati, Ohio.
abstract: Childhood obesity rates appear to be leveling off. Studies not looking at severe obesity may be masking a rightward shift in the distribution of body mass indexes. Our objective was to provide current prevalence rates and examine trends in overweight, obesity, class 2 obesity, and class 3 obesity for youth in Cincinnati, Ohio. We performed a retrospective chart review of children 2 to 18 years old seen at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2014. Data from 217 037 BMIs were obtained; 35.2% of children were found to have an elevated BMI. Prevalence rates were highest in older, Hispanic, and Medicaid-insured children. The only significant trend over the 3-year period was a downward shift in class 3 obesity ( P = .02), contrary to national findings. Further studies assessing which clinical/community efforts have led to this downward trend will be essential to target future resources and facilitate continued progress.
authors.affiliation: 1 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Roohi Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Kharofa
authors.affiliation: 1 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Jillian A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.affiliation: 1 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.affiliation: 1 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Siegel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: body mass index; obesity; overweight; pediatrics; weight status