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Musculoskeletal findings in obese children
Author(s) -
De Sá Pinto Ana L,
De Barros Holanda Patricia M,
Radu Ari S,
Villares Sandra MF,
Lima Fernanda R
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2006.00869.x
Subject(s) - medicine , percentile , genu valgum , body mass index , obesity , cross sectional study , physical therapy , cardiorespiratory fitness , lumbar , pediatrics , surgery , pathology , mathematics , statistics
Aim: A cross‐sectional study was conducted to explore osteoarticular alterations in obese children. Methods: Twenty‐five boys and 24 girls (mean age: 10.8 ± 2.07 years) with a body mass index (BMI) above the 95th percentile were compared with 28 boys and 19 girls (controls, mean age: 10.4 ± 2.3 years) with a BMI below the 80th percentile. Results: A higher frequency of at least one osteoarticular manifestation was observed in obese patients (55%) compared with the control group (23%) ( P = 0.001). A statistically significant association was also found between obesity and lower back pain, genu valgum, genu recurvatum and tight quadriceps. Fibromyalgia tender points (=11) were present at similar frequency in both groups (obese: 3/38 (9%) vs. control: 1/48 (2%)). Conclusion: The present data suggest that obesity has a negative impact on osteoarticular health by promoting biomechanical changes in the lumbar spine and lower extremities.