Summary: How the impact of the COVID‐19 stay‐at‐home orders is influencing physical, mental and financial health among vulnerable populations, including those with obesity is unknown. The aim of the current study was to explore the health implications of COVID‐19 among a sample of adults with obesity. A retrospective medical chart review identified patients with obesity from an obesity medicine clinic and a bariatric surgery (MBS) practice. Patients completed an online survey from April 15, 2020 to May 31, 2020 to assess COVID‐19 status and health behaviours during stay‐at‐home orders. Logistic regression models examined the impact of these orders on anxiety and depression by ethnic group. A total of 123 patients (87% female, mean age 51.2 years [SD 13.0]), mean BMI 40.2 [SD 6.7], 49.2% non‐Hispanic white (NHW), 28.7% non‐Hispanic black, 16.4% Hispanic, 7% other ethnicity and 33.1% completed MBS were included. Two patients tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and 14.6% reported symptoms. Then, 72.8% reported increased anxiety and 83.6% increased depression since stay‐at‐home orders were initiated. Also 69.6% reported more difficultly in achieving weight loss goals, less exercise time (47.9%) and intensity (55.8%), increased stockpiling of food (49.6%) and stress eating (61.2%). Hispanics were less likely to report anxiety vs NHWs (adjusted odds ratios 0.16; 95% CI, 0.05‐0.49; P = .009). Results here showed the COVID‐19 pandemic is having a significant impact on patients with obesity regardless of infection status. These results can inform clinicians and healthcare professionals about effective strategies to minimize COVID‐19 negative outcomes for this vulnerable population now and in post‐COVID‐19 recovery efforts.

Objective: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that partial hearing conservation is attainable after cochlear implantation with a long perimodiolar electrode. Surgical strategies for hearing conservation during cochlear implantation are described. Study design: Prospective, single-subject, repeated-measures design. Setting: Academic tertiary care center. Patients: Twenty-eight severely to profoundly hearing-impaired adult cochlear implant recipients who had some measurable hearing preoperatively. Intervention: Cochlear implantation using Nucleus Freedom Contour Advance electrode. Main Outcome Measures: Preimplant and postimplant pure-tone thresholds and speech recognition scores were obtained to determine the incidence and degree of conserved hearing at a mean interval of 9 (±3.9) months. Results: Thirty-two percent of subjects experienced complete conservation of hearing (0- to 10-dB loss), and 57% experienced partial conservation of hearing (>11 dB) after implantation. However, open-set speech recognition was partially conserved in only one subject. Cochlear implant performance was not better in patients with conservation of residual hearing. Conclusion: Conservation of pure-tone hearing was possible in 89% of implanted patients; however, residual speech perception was not conserved with this long perimodiolar electrode. A ceiling effect tends to inflate the prevalence of hearing conservation in implantation studies of severely to profoundly hearing-impaired patients.

Objectives. We assessed the effects of a school-based obesity prevention intervention that included dietary, curricula, and physical activity components on body mass index (BMI) percentiles and academic performance among low-income elementary school children. Methods. The study had a quasi-experimental design (4 intervention schools and 1 control school; 4588 schoolchildren; 48% Hispanic) and was conducted over a 2-year period. Data are presented for the subset of the cohort who qualified for free or reduced-price school lunches (68% Hispanic; n = 1197). Demographic and anthropometric data were collected in the fall and spring of each year, and academic data were collected at the end of each year. Results. Significantly more intervention than control children stayed within normal BMI percentile ranges both years (P = .02). Although not significantly so, more obese children in the intervention (4.4%) than in the control (2.5%) decreased their BMI percentiles. Overall, intervention schoolchildren had significantly higher math scores both years (P < .001). Hispanic and White intervention schoolchildren were significantly more likely to have higher math scores (P < .001). Although not significantly so, intervention schoolchildren had higher reading scores both years. Conclusions. School-based interventions can improve health and academic performance among low-income schoolchildren.

To assess the effectiveness of a child care center-based parent and teacher healthy lifestyle role-modeling program on child nutrition and physical activity outcomes. Child care centers (N = 28) serving low-income families were randomized to intervention or control arms. Intervention centers (N = 12) implemented (1) menu modifications, (2) a child's healthy lifestyle curriculum, and (3) an adult (teacher- and parent-focused) healthy lifestyle role-modeling curriculum. Control centers (N = 16) received an attention control safety curriculum. Nutrition and physical activity data were collected at the beginning (T1) and at the end (T2) of the school year. Exploratory factor analysis identified positive and negative nutrition and physical activity practices by children, parents, and teachers. Intervention parents' baseline (β = .52, p < .0001) and school year consumption (β = .47, p < .0001) of fruits/vegetables significantly increased their children's consumption of fruits/vegetables from T1 to T2. Intervention parents significantly influenced a decrease in children's junk food consumption (β = -.04, p < .05), whereas control parents significantly influenced an increase in their children's junk food consumption (β = .60, p < .001) from T1 to T2. Control children showed a significant increase in junk food consumption (β = .11, p = .01) and sedentary behavior (β = .09, p < .005) from T1 to T2. Teachers did not significantly influence preschool-age children's nutrition or physical activity patterns from T1 to T2. Parent nutrition and physical activity patterns significantly influence their preschool-age children's consumption of fruits/vegetables, junk food, and level of sedentary behavior. Future obesity prevention intervention efforts targeting this age group should include parents as healthy lifestyle role models for their children.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of semaglutide versus liraglutide for treating post‐metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) weight recurrence.Methods: A retrospective analysis of 207 adults with post‐MBS weight recurrence treated with semaglutide 1.0 mg weekly (n = 115) or liraglutide 3.0 mg daily (n = 92) at an academic center from January 1, 2015, through April 1, 2021, was conducted. The primary end point was percentage body weight change at 12 months of treatment with regimens containing semaglutide or liraglutide.Results: The mean sample age was 55.2 years; mean BMI was 40.4 kg/m²; 89.9% were female; and 50% completed sleeve gastrectomy, 29% completed Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass, and 21% completed adjustable gastric banding. Least‐squares mean weight change at 12 months was −12.92% versus −8.77% in the semaglutide and liraglutide groups, respectively (p < 0.001). The adjusted odds ratios were 2.34 (95% CI: 1.28‐4.29) for ≥10% weight loss and 2.55 (95% CI: 1.22‐5.36) for ≥15% weight loss over 12 months in the semaglutide group versus liraglutide group, respectively. Weight‐loss efficacy of semaglutide (vs. liraglutide) did not differ by subgroups explored, including age, sex, and MBS procedure.Conclusions: These results show that treatment regimens including semaglutide 1.0 mg weekly lead to superior weight loss compared with liraglutide 3.0 mg daily for treating post‐MBS weight recurrence, regardless of procedure type or the magnitude of weight recurrence.

Introduction. Successfully addressing childhood onset obesity requires multilevel (individual, community, and governmental), multi-agency collaboration. Methods. The Healthier Options for Public Schoolchildren (HOPS)/OrganWise Guys® (OWG) quasi-experimental controlled pilot study (four intervention schools, one control school, total N=3,769; 50.2% Hispanic) was an elementary school-based obesity prevention intervention designed to keep children at a normal, healthy weight, and improve health status and academic achievement. The HOPS/OWG included the following replicable, holistic components: (1) modified dietary offerings, (2) nutrition/lifestyle educational curricula; (3) physical activity component; and (4) wellness projects. Demographic, anthropometric (body mass index [BMI]), blood pressure, and academic data were collected during the two-year study period (2004-6). Results. Statistically significant improvements in BMI, blood pressure, and academic scores, among low-income Hispanic and White children in particular, were seen in the intervention versus controls. Conclusion. Holistic school-based obesity prevention interventions can improve health outcomes and academic performance, in particular among high-risk populations.