Day‐to‐day physical functioning and disability in obese 10‐ to 13‐year‐olds

Abstract

As anticipated, obesity appears to undermine physical functioning in children, including the capacity to perform basic locomotor skills yet, unexpectedly, participation in key life areas related to physical functioning appeared largely unaffected.

Musculoskeletal Pain, Self-reported Physical Function, and Quality of Life in the Teen–Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS) Cohort

“…A few small studies have reported that adolescents with obesity have diminished strength, diminished physical activity levels (ultimately affecting performance and gait asymmetry), and loss of movement efficiency on functional performance tests. 42,43 In children and adolescents with autoimmune arthritis, the median score on the Child Health Assessment Questionnaire (an instrument adapted from the HAQ) was 0.125. 44 This level of poor physical function was similar to our adolescents with MSK pain (median HAQ-DI score, 0.125).…”

Musculoskeletal Pain in Obese Compared With Healthy-Weight Children

“…5 In summary, 107 obese and 132 healthy-weight children participated. Mean group ages were similar (11.8 ± 0.1 and 12.0 ± 0.1 y, P = 0.38) with a reasonably even distribution of sexes between groups (obese: 51 females, 56 males; healthy-weight: 56 females, 76 males, P = 0.42) and no differences in pubertal development (86% being Tanner stage 4 or less, P = 0.13) or height (1.55 ± 0.01 and 1.54 ± 0.01 m, P = 0.33).…”

“…5 Recruitment methods included media advertisements/releases, flyers, school newsletters, and a pediatric clinic. Exclusions for the larger study comprised children who were underweight, overweight, 30,32 intellectually/neurologically impaired, engaged in a weight-loss program in the preceding 3 months, had a past medical history of ear infections/balance issues, acute injury (prior 6 mo) necessitating medical management (eg, sprain or fracture), or a pathologic cause for their obese status (such as hypothyroidism).…”

“…5 Briefly, participants wearing only a hospital gown and underwear had body mass and height recorded to calculate BMI and BMI z score. 4 Percent body fat was estimated from a whole-body DXA scan.…”

“…1 Obesity has been identified as a possible contributor to musculoskeletal pain in children because of increased loading and/or biomechanical alterations imposed by additional fat, possibly compounded by periods of rapid growth that are characteristic of childhood. [2][3][4] Children with obesity experience lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and greater disability than their healthy-weight peers 5,6 and obesity-related pain may be a contributing factor. 7 A detailed review of pain in obese children and adolescents, concluded that most research has focused on low back pain (LBP), 3 with prospective studies finding no link between body mass index (BMI) and LBP incidence.…”