The Childhood Obesity Epidemic: Insights from claims plus EMR data

Claims data alone may not accurately reflect the underlying prevalence of childhood obesity; healthcare providers may be less likely to add an obesity diagnosis to a claim because of the stigma associated with the condition.

Linking claims data and clinical data from electronic medical records (EMRs) can enhance the awareness and management of childhood obesity and the associated trajectories of care.

IBM Watson Health analyzed EMR data to differentiate between the prevalence of clinical evidence and the diagnosis of obesity in childhood, as well as describe how the combined data assets of claims and EMR data provide a more comprehensive understanding of childhood obesity and potential related comorbidities.