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A telehealth intervention for ensuring continuity of care of pediatric obesity during the CoVid-19 lockdown in Italy

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Restriction measures adopted during the Coronavirus Disease-19 pandemic favored unhealthy behaviors. Tele-health offered the opportunity to pursue alternative ways of chronic diseases management. This retrospective study sought to determine the effects of a telehealth counsellin...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Pecoraro, Pierluigi, Gallè, Francesca, Muscariello, Espedita, Di Mauro, Valentina, Daniele, Ornella, Forte, Simone, Ricchiuti, Roberta, Liguori, Giorgio, Valerio, Giuliana
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: The Italian Diabetes Society, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8496959/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34728130
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2021.09.026
Descripción
Sumario:BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Restriction measures adopted during the Coronavirus Disease-19 pandemic favored unhealthy behaviors. Tele-health offered the opportunity to pursue alternative ways of chronic diseases management. This retrospective study sought to determine the effects of a telehealth counselling intervention during the lockdown to children and adolescents with obesity previously engaged in a family-based secondary care program in an outpatient clinic of South Italy. METHODS AND RESULTS: 117 out of 156 patients participated to the tele-health intervention. Participants underwent videocalls with each component of the multidisciplinary team to receive support in adopting adequate dietary habits and to practice exercise at home. They were included in a closed social group to watch age-adapted tutorials on healthy habits. 75 patients returned to the Center after the end of the lockdown, while only 7 patients who did not participate to the videocalls, took part to the follow-up. Body Mass Index and body composition were assessed in all these patients. BMI z score did not increase in both groups. However, a significant increase of fat mass was observed in the non-participating group (0.046), while the intervention group showed an increase of fat free mass (p < 0.000). CONCLUSION: Notwithstanding the limited sample size, the telehealth intervention allowed the maintenance of baseline weight status in participants, with an increase of fat-free mass. As the CoViD-19 pandemic moves forward, the increasing adoption of the new technologies may help the continuity of care, even in pediatric obesity treatment.