Characteristics of Youth Presenting for Weight Management: Retrospective National Data from the POWER Study Group.

Abstract Background: There are no existing multisite national data on obese youth presenting for pediatric weight management. The primary aim was to describe BMI status and comorbidities among youth with obesity presenting for pediatric weight management (PWM) at programs within the Pediatric Obesity Weight Evaluation Registry (POWER). Methods: Data were collected from 2009–2010 among 6737 obese patients ages 2–17. Patients were classified in three groups by BMI (kg/m2) cutoffs and percent of the 95th percentile for BMI: (1) obesity; (2) severe obesity class 2; and (3) severe obesity class 3. Weighted percentages are presented for baseline laboratory tests, blood pressure, and demographics. Generalized logistic regression with clustering was used to examine the relationships between BMI status and comorbidities. Results: Study youth were 11.6 ± 3.4 years of age, 56% female, 31% black, 17% Hispanic, and 53% publicly insured. Twenty-five percent of patients had obesity (n = 1674), 34% (2337) had severe obes...