BMI-for-age graphs with severe obesity percentile curves: tools for plotting cross-sectional and longitudinal youth BMI data.

Background: Severe obesity is an important and distinct weight status classification that is associated with disease risk and is increasing in prevalence among youth. The ability to graphically present population weight status data, ranging from underweight through severe obesity class 3, is novel and applicable to epidemiologic research, intervention studies, case reports, and clinical care.

Methods: The aim was to create body mass index (BMI) graphing tools to generate sex-specific BMI-for-age graphs that include severe obesity percentile curves.

Outcomes and Trends of Ventricular Assist Device Selection in Children with End-Stage Heart Failure.

We aimed to examine trends in ventricular assist device (VAD) selection, continuous flow devices (CFD) versus pulsatile flow devices (PFD), and their associated outcomes in children eligible for both device types. To accomplish this, the United Network for Organ Sharing database was reviewed for pediatric patients listed for heart transplant (HT) from January 2007 to June 2014. Patients were included if a durable VAD was present at wait listing or when removed from the waiting list and who met size eligibility for a CFD (BSA > 1.

Improved waitlist and transplant outcomes for pediatric lung transplantation after implementation of the lung allocation score.

Background: Although the lung allocation score (LAS) has not been considered valid for lung allocation to children, several additional policy changes for pediatric lung allocation have been adopted since its implementation. We compared changes in waitlist and transplant outcomes for pediatric and adult lung transplant candidates since LAS implementation.

Methods: The United Network for Organ Sharing database was reviewed for all lung transplant listings during the period 1995 to June 2014.

Obesity and Aerobic Fitness among Urban Public School Students in Elementary, Middle, and High School.

Aims And Objectives: To assess the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk among urban public school students through a collaborative school district and university partnership.

Methods: Children and adolescents in grades K-12 from 24 urban public schools participated in measurements of height, weight, and other health metrics during the 2009-2010 school year. Body mass index (BMI) percentiles and z-scores were computed for 4673 students.

Influence of physical education on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity of urban public school children in St. Louis, Missouri, 2011-2014.

We quantified the moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA, heart rate ≥140 bpm) of urban public elementary school children on school days with and schooldays without physical education (PE) class by using continuous heart rate monitoring. The heart rate of 81 students (93.8% black) in grades 3 and 5 was recorded in 15-second intervals.