High Success Rates of a Telemedicine-based Intensive Treatment Program for Children with Obesity

Background: Treating children with obesity frequently terminates with frustration. The main reason is that effective treatment mandates numerous clinic visits over a long period of time, resulting in high costs and a very cumbersome process. Telemedicine can ease the treatment burden, while gaming apps can support it.

Aim: To examine weight and body composition changes following a telemedicine-based, multi-disciplinary intensive treatment program for youth with obesity.

Methods: Fifty-five children and adolescents with obesity are participating in a novel 6-month treatment program of mostly online consultations with our physician, dietitian, psychologist and physiologist. A smartphone app counts steps and delivers healthy lifestyle-related materials. Activities are converted to digital tokens, which participants redeem for actual gifts. Anthropometrics and body composition are measured at baseline and after 3 and 6 months in the program.

Results: Mean participant age was 13±1.8 years (51% males), mean BMI z-score was 2.0±0.4, and mean body fat percent was 38±8. Data from 43 participants who completed 3 program months showed BMI z-score and fat precent reductions in 72% and 60% of participants, respectively (Figure). Data from 21 participants who completed 6 months showed BMI z-score and fat precent reductions in 67% and 76% of participants, respectively, with no significant between-sex differences. Attrition was only 9%, mostly from external reasons.

Conclusions: An intensive multi-disciplinary telemedicine-based program for youth with obesity can lead to very high rates of BMI and fat mass reductions compared to those in standard care. Telemedicine can assist children with obesity to stay engaged in treatment.