Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jan 21, 2026 1 hour, 34 minutes ago
Medical News: A major new study has raised fresh concerns about the long-term metabolic health of children and teenagers who have recovered from COVID-19 infection, revealing higher risks of unhealthy cholesterol levels and abnormal weight gain months after the initial illness. This
Medical News report examines findings from one of the largest pediatric COVID follow up studies ever conducted in the United States.
A large US study shows children recovering from COVID-19 face higher risks of unhealthy cholesterol levels and
weight gain months after infection
A Large and Carefully Tracked Pediatric Study
Researchers analyzed electronic health records from 25 major children’s hospitals and health systems across the United States as part of the National Institutes of Health backed RECOVER Initiative. The study followed more than 384,000 children and adolescents with confirmed COVID-19 infection and compared them with over one million uninfected children of similar ages. The team tracked new health problems that appeared between 28 and 179 days after infection, a period doctors describe as the post-acute phase.
What The Researchers Looked For
The scientists focused on two important markers of future health. The first was dyslipidemia, which refers to unhealthy levels of fats in the blood such as high cholesterol or triglycerides and low levels of good HDL cholesterol. The second was abnormal body mass index or BMI, a measure commonly used to identify unhealthy weight gain. Children with these issues early in life are known to face higher risks of heart disease, diabetes, and liver problems later on.
Clear Increases in Cholesterol Problems
The results were striking. Children who had COVID-19 were about 24 percent more likely to develop new cholesterol abnormalities compared with those who never had the virus. In particular, triglyceride levels and low HDL cholesterol showed the strongest increases. Even though the percentages may look small, researchers stress that the numbers matter when applied to millions of children worldwide.
Weight Gain Risks
The study also found that children recovering from COVID-19 had a 15 percent higher risk of developing an abnormal BMI during the follow up period. Nearly six percent of infected children developed unhealthy weight gain compared with less than five percent among uninfected peers. Importantly, these findings held true even after accounting for pre-existing obesity and other health conditions.
Why COVID-19 May Affect Metabolism
Scientists believe several biological mechanisms may be involved. COVID-19 can trigger long lasting inflammation, which may interfere with how the liver processes fats. The virus may also disrupt pathways involved in energy balance and fat storage. Combined with reduced physical activity during illness and recovery, these effects may push some children toward metabolic imbalance.
Institutions Behind the Research
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The research team included experts from the University of Pennsylvania, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pittsburgh, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Temple University, Penn State University, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, The Ohio State University, University of California San Francisco, Northwestern University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Colorado, Columbia University, University of Missouri, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and several other leading pediatric centers across the United States.
Why These Findings Matter
The conclusions are clear and concerning. Even mild COVID-19 infections in children can be followed by measurable changes in cholesterol levels and body weight. These changes may seem subtle at first but could increase lifelong risks if not identified early. Doctors are urged to consider routine metabolic monitoring for children after COVID-19, especially those with other risk factors. Early lifestyle guidance and follow up could help prevent small changes from turning into serious adult diseases.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: The Journal of Pediatrics.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022347626000247
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Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/coronavirus
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/long-covid
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