According to a new research developed by investigators at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates and MassGeneral Hospital for Children, linking clinical care with community resources certainly, helps children to manage their weight. According to this research, childhood obesity can be managed with text messages and health coaching.
Childhood obesity management with text messages and health coaching
As reported in JAMA Pediatrics, the two interventions that linked clinical care with community resources has helped in improving the key health measures in overweight children or obese children. Both the programs not only improved BMI (body mass index) in participants; but, at the same time, also increased parents’ sense that they now have the information and even resources in order to address their child’s obesity problem.
Connect 4 Health trial
The Connect 4 Health trial was conducted at six Harvard Vanguard pediatric practices from June 2014 through March 2016 in the Boston area. The researchers were led by Elsie Taveras, MD, chief of general pediatrics at MassGeneral Hospital for Children.
The trial enrolled around 721 children, with their ages from 2 through 12. These children had a BMI in the overweight or obese range. Further, the children were randomly assigned to one of two enhanced primary care (EPC and EPCPC) groups, one of which included health coaching.
Educational materials to combat obesity
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The researchers have provided all the children with educational materials, related to weight management, which included improving sleep quality and physical activity. Further, the parents of all these children also received monthly text messages to motivate their children. The text messages contained information about community resources and also supportive behaviors. Those children who were in the health coaching group also received individualized support, twice-weekly text messages and YMCA memberships.
Obese children had improved BMI scores
The research finding that was published in JAMA Pediatrics has detailed the outcomes of both these groups. In both these groups, the children had improved BMI scores, coupled with greater improvement among those in the health coaching group. Further, the parents of children in the health coaching group also reported that there is a significant improvement in health-related quality of life. In addition to this, the majority of the parents said that they are more satisfied with text message communication.
What Dr. Elsie Taveras said?
Dr. Taveras said, ‘More and more we recognize that, if we don’t assist families in tackling the social and environmental conditions that impede their ability to make changes to their obesity-related behaviors, we will not be successful in pediatric weight management’.
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Date: June 20, 2017