Tranzo Pearl | Integrated approach to childhood obesity

Childhood obesity is a growing and complex problem. It is a so-called "wicked problem", meaning that it involves many factors that are often interrelated. Thus, an effective approach will have to address many issues. In adults, overweight and obesity is a major cause of many chronic conditions (diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc.). Children who develop obesity keep it for the rest of their lives in 60-80% of the cases. Therefore, it is very important to identify and combat childhood obesity in a timely manner. After all, fewer overweight in children results in a better quality of life for the children themselves and fewer chronic diseases later in life, thus reducing the growth in healthcare costs in adults.

Sanne de Laat (physician Society and Health, specialization youth physician) did research on the approach Child to Healthier Weight, an integral approach to childhood obesity and received her PhD on this topic in 2022. As a result of this PhD research, the Academic Collaborative Center Public Health Brabant, also organized a symposium on this theme in 2022.

Child to Healthier Weight

Child to Healthier Weight is an innovative method in which an integral approach to preventive care for overweight children has been studied in terms of both process and effect in practice. This contributes to a scientific basis for this new, cross-domain, and integrated approach to childhood obesity. In 's-Hertogenbosch, healthcare providers in the medical domain and professionals in the social domain work together to tackle obesity. This is coordinated by a central care provider. Network partners and central care providers are enthusiastic about the approach, and parents and children are satisfied and feel supported. There are still some challenges to optimally carry out the role of central care provider, among others, lack of time and insufficient capacity play a role in being able to optimally implement the approach.

Want to know more about this study? View the fact sheet here(new window)