Nested project 1 SwissPedGrowth

Height, weight, and body mass index in Switzerland.

Study Overview

Anthropometric data are essential for diagnosis, monitoring and treatment in pediatrics. Obesity is a global health problem. Despite this, we lack contemporaneous reference data in Switzerland and we know little about prevalence and management of obesity in Swiss hospitals.

The study aims to gather anthropometric data in Switzerland to aid in the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of pediatric patients. The project will assess the quality of anthropometric data in electronic health records (EHRs), the fit of current Swiss growth curves, and the prevalence and management of childhood obesity in Swiss hospitals. Findings from Swiss children (SwissPedHealth) will be compared to US children (PEDSnet). This nested project is led by Prof. Claudia Kuehni.

Study Objectives

1. Assess the availability and quality of anthropometric data for children in EHRs.
2. Assess the fit of current growth references to anthropometric data.
3. Assess the prevalence of obesity and related risk factors.
4. Investigate the recognition and management of obesity in participating clinics.
5. Compare data between Switzerland (SwissPedHealth) and the US (PEDSnet).

Methods

We will include all children and adolescents (less than 20 years) who visited one of the 7 collaborating hospitals from 1st of January 2017 until 31st of December 2023. Statistical power will be large, with roughly 36,000 inpatient visits and 547,000 outpatient visits from hospitals per year. We will extract data from EHRs that include information on demographics, anthropometrics, relevant lab codes, diagnostic codes, and procedures. We also plan to link with data from the Federal Statistical Office (socio-economic information, birth characteristics, and nationality).

Significance

SwissPedGrowth will gain information on growth in Swiss children and assess differences regarding regions, migration background, or socioeconomic status. The study will assess the validity of existing growth references and could contribute to new Swiss growth references. We will provide novel data on the extent of obesity in Switzerland.

Original description

NP1: Height, weight, and body mass index in Switzerland (Responsible: Kuehni).

Background: Anthropometric data are essential for diagnosis, monitoring and treatment in pediatrics. Obesity is a global health problem. Despite this, we lack contemporaneous reference data in Switzerland and we know little about prevalence and management of obesity in Swiss hospitals.

Aims: 1) Assess the feasibility of extracting anthropometric data from EHRs, and assess data quality; 2) Assess prevalence of obesity and related risk factors; 3) Assess the fit of anthropometric data from EHRs with Swiss growth charts; 4) Investigate the recognition and management of obesity in participating clinics; 5) Compare data between Switzerland (SwissPedData) and the US (PEDSnet).

Methods: Extract datasets for in- and outpatients from 2017- 2023, with information on demographics, anthropometrics, relevant lab codes (Hb A-1 C, lipid status, ALAT, ferritin), diagnostic codes, and procedures. Link perinatal anthropometric data from the SFSO. Statistical power is large, with roughly 28,000 inpatients and 246,000 outpatients from all university hospitals per year and a reference dataset from the US containing data from over 12 million children.

Significance: Results may contribute to new growth charts and provide novel data on the extent of obesity in Switzerland.