Association Between Weight Promoting Medication Use and Weight Status Among Children and Adolescents in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to 1) examine the prevalence of prescription medication use overall and 2) examine the association between weight promoting medication (WPM) use by therapeutic class and weight status among a nationally representative sample of the children and adolescents in the United States. This study also further investigated antidepressant medication use among this population. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2013 to 2018. Children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 years were included in this study. RESULTS: Of the 68,057,468 derived participants (34,507,154 [50.7%] male; 33,564,059 [49.3%] aged 2-10 years; 34,905,058 [51.3%] non-Hispanic White), 14,895,618 (22.2%) used a prescription medication in the prior 30 days, 21.7% (3,235,323) of which were considered weight promoting. There was no significant difference between weight status and WPM use for overall prescription medication use. Nevertheless, for overall antidepressant medication use, those with obesity were less likely to be prescribed antidepressant WPM when compared to those with normal weight (adjusted odds ratios 0.4; 95% confidence interval 0.2-0.7). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that although there was no significant association between WPM use and weight status overall when examining the association by therapeutic class, most children with obesity were not using antidepressant WPM. This is reassuring and potentially an active attempt at avoiding the use of medications that have an exacerbating effect on weight gain. When choosing antidepressant medications, providers, parents, and patients consider the WPM effects and appropriately choose a medication best suited to the child's health status.

Sugary Beverage Advertising to Black and Hispanic Youth in the United States: A Call for Action.

The obesity epidemic remains a major public health issue worldwide, and it is pronounced in the United States. As rates of obesity continue to increase, children now experience obesity at younger ages, which predisposes them to early-onset obesity-related diseases. Of note, Black and Hispanic children experience obesity at higher rates compared with their White counterparts. Although there are many factors that contribute to higher rates of obesity, the increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is one such contributor. Despite the dire state of obesity in these populations, sugar-sweetened beverage companies continue to increase their advertisements to Black and Hispanic children, which can negatively influence the childhood obesity epidemic. This article discusses the effect that sugar-sweetened beverages and their advertisements have on children in underrepresented communities. [Pediatr Ann. 2022;51(9):e370-e372.].

Ventricular tachycardia after naloxone administration in an adolescent.

Naloxone is a medication with a largely benign safety profile that is frequently administered in the emergency department to patients presenting with altered mental status. Ventricular tachycardia has been reported after naloxone administration in adult patients with prior use of opiate or sympathomimetic medications. However, no such reports exist in the pediatric population or in patients who have no known history of opiate or sympathomimetic medication use. We describe a case of ventricular tachycardia after naloxone administration in a 17-year-old male with no known prior use of opiate or sympathomimetic agents who presented to the emergency department with altered mental status of unknown etiology. Emergency physicians may wish to prepare for prompt treatment of ventricular arrythmias when administering naloxone to pediatric patients presenting with altered mental status.

Racial Disparities in Obesity Treatment Among Children and Adolescents.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: With the growing obesity epidemic among children and adolescents, the evaluation of disease origin to slow disease progression is necessary. Racial disparities which are evident amid prevalence and treatment must be studied to counteract disease propagation. RECENT FINDINGS: Disparities are pronounced among Black and Hispanic pediatric patients prior to conception and birth due to genetic composition and fetal environment. Postnatal environment and psychosocial influences can further increase a child/adolescent's propensity to increased weight. Current treatment options including nutrition, physical activity, behavior modification, pharmacotherapy, and surgery are underutilized in communities of color due to limited access to care and cost. Data is limited to demonstrate disparities among treatment of obesity in children and adolescents. The reviewed studies show the role of race on disease treatment. Increased research efforts, especially in pharmacotherapy and metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), will help combat obesity in pediatric communities of color.