Researchers first to estimate pediatric obesity prevalence using new definition

Researchers at Pennington Biomedical Research Center have published the first study to estimate the prevalence of pediatric obesity among U.S. children and adolescents using the new Lancet Commission on Clinical Obesity definitions of preclinical and clinical obesity.

The study, “Prevalence of Preclinical and Clinical Obesity Among US Children and Adolescents Aged 5 to 18 Years: NHANES 2017–2023,” published in the journal Obesity, was selected as an Editor’s Choice article in recognition of its scientific significance and potential impact on the field of pediatric obesity research.

Using nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2017–2023, researchers examined obesity prevalence among children and adolescents ages 5–18 years using the recently proposed Lancet Commission framework.

The new framework distinguishes between preclinical obesity, in which excess adiposity is present without current signs of organ dysfunction or disease, and clinical obesity, where measurable health complications associated with obesity are already evident.

“This is the first published study to estimate the prevalence of pediatric obesity using the new Lancet Commission definitions of preclinical and clinical obesity,” said Dr. Amanda Staiano, professor and director of the Pediatric Obesity and Health Behavior Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical.

“The findings show that many children are already experiencing measurable health impairments associated with obesity, while others are at elevated risk and may benefit from earlier intervention and monitoring.”

Dr. Priyanka Chaudhary, former Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Pennington Biomedical and current Postdoctoral Research Fellow at TSET Health Promotion Research Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, said, “I feel fortunate to be part of this important work and to contribute to one of the first national studies incorporating the new Lancet Commission definition. We hope these findings help advance a more meaningful understanding of pediatric obesity and support earlier identification and intervention for youth at risk.”

The Lancet Commission framework was developed to improve how obesity is classified and understood by recognizing that body mass index alone may not fully capture the health consequences associated with excess adiposity. Researchers say the framework could help clinicians better identify children at highest risk for future complications and guide more personalized approaches to prevention and treatment.

“These new definitions move beyond BMI alone and provide a more clinically meaningful way to understand how excess adiposity is affecting children’s health,” Staiano said. “We are honored that the journal Obesity selected this paper as an Editor’s Choice article, recognizing the importance of advancing how pediatric obesity is defined and evaluated in clinical and public health settings.”

In addition to Dr. Chaudhary and Dr. Staiano, study authors include Pennington Biomedical researchers Dr. Shengping Yang, Dr. Stephanie Waldrop and Dr. Peter Katzmarzyk. The authors added that future work is needed to determine how and when such a multidimensional framework can be feasibly and appropriately integrated into pediatric clinical settings and public health surveillance.

“The study adds to Pennington Biomedical’s ongoing efforts to improve understanding, prevention and treatment of childhood obesity through research that informs clinical care and public health policy,” said Dr. Jennifer Rood, Interim Senior Vice Chancellor and Executive Director of Pennington Biomedical.

“We are especially proud that Pennington Biomedical researchers help shape the international conversations around obesity, with three of our faculty having served on The Lancet Commission that helped create these new definitions for clinical and preclinical obesity.”

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Sadie Harley

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Andrew Zinin

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