Obese trauma patients who sustain orthopaedic fractures experience increased length of stay, ICU admissions and mortality

The rising trend of obesity in the United States has been a growing concern within the healthcare system for decades. Since the early 1960s, the prevalence of obesity has more than doubled among U.S. adults, and one out of every three Americans is now considered obese according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Signifi cant medical comorbidities have been associated with obesity and increased Body Mass Index (BMI); these include hypertension, dyslipidemia, coronary artery disease, stroke, sleep apnea, type II diabetes mellitus and certain types of cancer. Trauma patients with higher BMIs are more likely to have increased complication rates, develop multiple system organ failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome and infections Additionally, obesity is an independent risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality following high-impact blunt force trauma and has been associated with signifi cantly longer Intensive Care Unit (ICU) lengths of stay with greater anticipated hospital costs