The Rising Tide of Overweight among Kuwaiti Children: Study from Al-Adan Hospital, Kuwait

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to screen patients who sought medical services in the Pediatric Outpatient Department, Al-Adan Hospital, Kuwait for overweight. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Body mass index (BMI) was used to screen 361 children (≤10 years old) for risk of overweight and overweight (BMI between 85th and 94th, and ≥95th percentile, respectively). Overweight children were fully examined and abdominal ultrasound was done for each of them. RESULTS: Of the 361 children, 52 (14.41%) and 77 (21.33%) were at risk of overweight and overweight, respectively. There was a slight male predominance for overweight (40 males, 51.95%, compared to 37 females, 48.05%) and within the overweight category; 28 males (70%) and 26 females (70.27%) were above 6 years of age. In overweight children over 6 years, 4 (7.41%) had hepatomegaly with fatty changes and 3 (5.56%) had blood pressure above the 95th percentile for age and sex. CONCLUSION: Childhood overweight at Al-Adan Hospital was high and increased with age. Hence childhood screening for overweight is recommended at an early age because it is an important risk factor of chronic diseases.