The Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity Among Adolescents With Chronic Health Conditions

Overweight and obesity during adolescence is a primary public health concern as these conditions are associated with several chronic health conditions (cardiovascular disease, Type II Diabetes, etc.) that can affect individuals into adulthood. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to examine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents with chronic health conditions; and 2) To examine the odds of physical activity and sedentary behaviors in adolescents with chronic health conditions, viewing whether the presence of chronic health conditions impact PA and sedentary behaviors. Analyses included 28,778 adolescents aged 10-17 from the 2011-12 National Survey of Children’s Heath. Adolescents were grouped into one of nine different groups based on body mass index classification (normal weight, overweight, obese) and the presence of chronic health conditions (no chronic health conditions, one chronic health condition, or two or more chronic health conditions). Outcomes included the prevalence of overweight and obesity among chronic health conditions group, as well as regular physical activity, sports participation, club participation, television viewing time, and computer usage. Approximately 15% of adolescents with no secondary chronic health conditions were classified as overweight, and 13% were classified as obese. Of those with one secondary chronic health condition, 17% overweight, and 16.5% were classified as obese. For adolescents with two or more secondary chronic health conditions, 17.9% were classified as overweight, and 22.6% were classified as obese. Adolescents classified as overweight with two or more chronic health conditions were 26% less likely to engage in regular physical activity (p=0.015), 47% less likely to have participated in a sport within the past 12 months (pp