Impact of COVID-19 on BMI Status and Comorbidities in New Patients Presenting to a Pediatric Weight Management Clinic: A Retrospective Study From January 2017 to June 2023.

This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric obesity severity and related comorbidities by retrospectively analyzing new patient visits at a U.S. pediatric weight management clinic from 2017 to 2023. Findings indicate a significant increase in the proportion of patients with class 3 obesity and a higher number of obesity-related comorbidities postpandemic, including prediabetes, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), eating disorders/hyperphagia, and mood/mental health disorders, with variations observed across age and ethnic groups. The study highlights increased odds of prediabetes among Hispanic patients and elevated mood/mental health disorder diagnoses among non-Hispanic patients aged 10 to under 14 years. Limitations include referral bias and lack of a control group, and the authors call for further research to clarify the relationships between COVID-19, pediatric obesity, and comorbidity prevalence to guide targeted interventions.