Adolescent Obesity Is an Independent Risk Factor for Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Results From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005 to 2010

Objective: We investigated the hypothesis that childhood obesity is a risk factor for sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) independent of other metabolic risk factors. Study Design: A complex, multistage, stratified geographic area design for collecting representative data from noninstitutionalized US population. Methods: A total of 5,638 adolescents between age 12 and 19 from the NHANES database (2005–2010) were studied. Subjects with body mass index>= 95th percentile were classified as obese. SNHL was defined as average pure-tone greater than 15 dB HL for 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz or 3, 4, 6, and 8 kHz in at least 1 ear. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed incident hearing loss odds across obese patients in comparison with normal weight individuals (5th–85th percentile). Multivariable models included age, sex, socioeconomic status, race, smoke exposure, high density lipoprotein level, triglyceride level, elevated blood pressure measurement, hemoglobin A1C level, and C-reactive protein level. Results: The rate of SNHL was 21.5% in obese and 13.44% in normal weight adolescents (p 
Source: Otology and Neurotology - Category: ENT & OMF Tags: Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Tinnitus Source Type: research