Are extremity musculoskeletal injuries in children related to obesity and social status? A prospective observational study in a district general hospital

Abstract

Background: Obesity is one of the several independent risk factors for the risk of fractures. Major epidemiological studies also suggested the social status of the patients to be a confounding factor. We aimed to look at the influence of obesity on fractures and to determine if the social status of the patients is a confounding factor.

Methods: This is an observational study of 560 children with musculoskeletal injuries who presented over a period of 8 months and the data were collected prospectively. Obesity status and social deprivation index were estimated.

Results: The prevalence of overweight and obese children was 29.9%. Twenty-four percent of the boys and 31% of the girls were obese (P = 0.2). In the group of most deprived areas, the prevalence of obesity increased to 40% in those needing admission for intervention.

Conclusions: Although there is a slight increase in obesity, there is no suggestion of increased rate of fractures in deprived areas. Upper limb injuries were more predominant, with distal radius fracture being the most common injury. Boys sustain fractures twice as often as girls. There is a tendency to increasing obesity with increasing age.

Keywords: Children; Fractures; Obesity; Social deprivation.