TY - JOUR
T1 - Short report
T2 - Weight management of children and adolescents with obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
AU - Eisenburger, Nina
AU - Friesen, David
AU - Haas, Fabiola
AU - Klaudius, Marlen
AU - Schmidt, Lisa
AU - Vandeven, Susanne
AU - Joisten, Christine
PY - 2022/4/29
Y1 - 2022/4/29
N2 - The aim of this analysis was to assess the effectiveness of a juvenile outpatient weight management program during the coronavirus pandemic in Germany, which was implemented digitally during the initial lockdown and thereafter under strict hygiene rules (e.g., adapted exercise sessions). Changes in body mass index standard deviation scores (BMI SDS), physical fitness, media consumption, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and social self-concept of 28 children and adolescents were compared to data of 30 participants before the pandemic. Adjusted mean changes from baseline to follow-up in BMI SDS (M = -0.07 ± 0.30), relative physical fitness (M = 0.0 ± 0.3 W/kg), media use (M = 0.5 ± 2.6 hours/day), HRQOL (M = -1.6 ± 15.3), and social self-concept (M = -3.8 ± 13.2) during the pandemic were not significantly different from those of the pre-pandemic participants (all p > 0.05). Therefore, the results suggest that an adjusted approach to weight management, which combined digital and adapted in-person components to meet hygiene requirements during the pandemic, was as effective as the pre-pandemic program. It could thus be a potential solution to ensure continuity of care for vulnerable children with obesity during the pandemic and the associated restrictions.
AB - The aim of this analysis was to assess the effectiveness of a juvenile outpatient weight management program during the coronavirus pandemic in Germany, which was implemented digitally during the initial lockdown and thereafter under strict hygiene rules (e.g., adapted exercise sessions). Changes in body mass index standard deviation scores (BMI SDS), physical fitness, media consumption, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and social self-concept of 28 children and adolescents were compared to data of 30 participants before the pandemic. Adjusted mean changes from baseline to follow-up in BMI SDS (M = -0.07 ± 0.30), relative physical fitness (M = 0.0 ± 0.3 W/kg), media use (M = 0.5 ± 2.6 hours/day), HRQOL (M = -1.6 ± 15.3), and social self-concept (M = -3.8 ± 13.2) during the pandemic were not significantly different from those of the pre-pandemic participants (all p > 0.05). Therefore, the results suggest that an adjusted approach to weight management, which combined digital and adapted in-person components to meet hygiene requirements during the pandemic, was as effective as the pre-pandemic program. It could thus be a potential solution to ensure continuity of care for vulnerable children with obesity during the pandemic and the associated restrictions.
KW - Adolescent
KW - COVID-19/epidemiology
KW - Child
KW - Communicable Disease Control
KW - Germany/epidemiology
KW - Humans
KW - Pandemics
KW - Pediatric Obesity
KW - Quality of Life
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/d32dbcff-2048-3183-84fb-7dbbd48c391c/
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0267601
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0267601
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 35486630
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 17
JO - PloS one
JF - PloS one
IS - 4
M1 - e0267601
ER -