Pediatric High Body Mass Index and Urinary Tract Infections: The Clinical and Microbiological Association

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Aseel S. Almallakhdeer, Safaa Mahmood Sultan, Ali Adel Shareef

 
For citation: Almallakhdeer AS, Sultan SM, Shareef AA. Pediatric High Body Mass Index and Urinary Tract Infections: The Clinical and Microbiological Association. International Journal of Biomedicine. 2026;16(1):90-94. doi:10.21103/Article16(1)_OA12
 
Originally published March 5, 2026

Abstract: 

Background: Both increased body mass index (BMI) and urinary tract infections (UTI) are common pediatric problems. Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for pediatric UTI, but it has not been extensively studied. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and microbiological associations between overweight and obesity and UTI among hospitalized children.
Methods and Results: This cross-sectional analytical study involved hospitalized children at Al-Khansaa Pediatric Hospital in Mosul, northern Iraq. A total of 74 patients aged ≤15 years of both sexes were included in the study from October 2023 to September 2024. Upper UTI was documented by urine culture and ultrasonography. The mean age of patients was 6.88±4.49 years. Males accounted for 37.8%, females for 62.2%, and 77% of patients were from urban areas. Patients were divided into three groups based on BMI: normal weight, overweight, and obese. Most patients (43.2%) had a normal weight, 18.9% were overweight, and 37.8% were obese. Overweight and obesity were more prevalent among UTI children than among normal children, according to the current data (P=0.03 and P=0.000, respectively). E. coli was the main causative organism among the normal weight group (31%), while Candida species dominated among the overweight and obese groups (38% and 35%). There was increasing resistance to antibiotics with the increase in BMI among the obese group, with a significant Spearman correlation (R2 =0.14, P=0.045).
Conclusion: According to this study, overweight and obesity are possible risk factors for pediatric UTI. Increases in BMI beyond the normal range shift the causative microorganisms of UTI from E. coli to Candida species and increase antibiotic resistance.

Keywords: 
children • obesity • overweight • urinary tract infection
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Received December 27, 2025.
Accepted February 14, 2026.
©2026 International Medical Research and Development Corporation.