CDC: Rising Epidemic of Obesity Hospitalizing More Children

The rising epidemic of obesity in children is putting more children into the hospital, according to researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Researchers analyzed hospital discharge records, comparing obesity-related hospitalizations of children ages 6 to 17 between 1979 and 1981 as well as between 1997 and 1999.

The number of hospitalizations of children related to obesity alone tripled over the 20-year period. Obesity-related hospitalizations for diabetes doubled, for gallbladder tripled, and for sleep apnea increased fivefold, according to the study. Also, hospitalizations were longer for children diagnosed with obesity, especially in recent years.

Annual hospital costs related to childhood obesity tripled over the 20-year period, reaching $127 million in 1999, according to the study published in the journal Pediatrics.

The study has strengthened the case that obesity is not merely a cosmetic problem but is a serious medical concern, leading to significant growth in its economic costs.

"The increasing frequency of hospital discharges of obesity-associated diagnoses suggests a rising disease burden associated with obesity among children and adolescents," concluded the researchers. "As overweight children become overweight adults, the diseases associated with obesity and health care costs are likely to increase even more."

Other sources: Pediatrics