Do hospitalized children with obesity lose more weight than eutrophic ones?
- 1Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Department of Pediatrics - São Paulo (SP), Brazil.
- 2Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Department of Preventive Medicine - São Paulo (SP), Brazil.
Abstract
Background
The clinical course of hospitalized children with overweight has been scarcely investigated. Previous studies suggest that these children experience longer hospital stays and greater weight loss than their normal-weight peers, potentially compromising lean body mass and immune function.Objective
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between nutritional status at hospital admission and hospital length of stay, and to compare weight loss trajectories between children with overweight and those with normal weight.Methods
This prospective study included 125 hospitalized children and adolescents aged 2-14 years. Anthropometric measurements and sociodemographic and clinical data were collected. Associations with hospital length of stay were assessed using multiple Poisson regression, and weight loss trajectories were analyzed using analysis of covariance.Results
Of the 125 participants, 56.8% were male, and 29.6% had overweight. Asthma was the most common reason for hospitalization (25.6%). Children with overweight had a 25% longer hospital stay than those with normal weight. Among children with overweight, each additional day of hospitalization was associated with a mean weight loss of 0.20 kg (95%CI 0.14-0.26) and a 0.04-unit decrease in body mass index-for-age z-score (95%CI 0.01-0.06).Conclusion
Overweight at hospital admission was associated with a longer hospital stay and progressive weight loss during hospitalization.
Related
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- Parental perception of child weight status and its association to overweight and obesity in children
- Why Do Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Lose Less Weight on GLP-1s? A Mathematical Modeling Analysis
- Factors associated with reduced kidney function in hospitalized children with dehydration
- Age-related clinical characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus infection in hospitalized children: a retrospective study
BibTeX
@article{alcantara2026hospitalized,
title = {{Do hospitalized children with obesity lose more weight than eutrophic ones?}},
author = {Dalila Nunes Alcantara and Karina Guimarães de Angelis and Adriana Sañudo and Maria Teresa Bechere Fernandes},
journal = {Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1590/1806-9282.20251923},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13693303},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Do hospitalized children with obesity lose more weight than eutrophic ones?
AU - Dalila Nunes Alcantara
AU - Karina Guimarães de Angelis
AU - Adriana Sañudo
AU - Maria Teresa Bechere Fernandes
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/23
JO - Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992)
DO - 10.1590/1806-9282.20251923
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13693303
AB - Background The clinical course of hospitalized children with overweight has been scarcely investigated. Previous studies suggest that these children experience longer hospital stays and greater weight loss than their normal-weight peers, potentially compromising lean body mass and immune function.Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the association between nutritional status at hospital admission and hospital length of stay, and to compare weight loss trajectories between children with overweight and those with normal weight.Methods This prospective study included 125 hospitalized children and adolescents aged 2-14 years. Anthropometric measurements and sociodemographic and clinical data were collected. Associations with hospital length of stay were assessed using multiple Poisson regression, and weight loss trajectories were analyzed using analysis of covariance.Results Of the 125 participants, 56.8% were male, and 29.6% had overweight. Asthma was the most common reason for hospitalization (25.6%). Children with overweight had a 25% longer hospital stay than those with normal weight. Among children with overweight, each additional day of hospitalization was associated with a mean weight loss of 0.20 kg (95%CI 0.14-0.26) and a 0.04-unit decrease in body mass index-for-age z-score (95%CI 0.01-0.06).Conclusion Overweight at hospital admission was associated with a longer hospital stay and progressive weight loss during hospitalization.
SN - 0104-4230
SN - 1806-9282
ER -