Program "6-10-14 for Health" - as an example of an interdisciplinary model of care for a patient with excess body weight

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Overweight and obesity are public health challenges of growing importance in Poland. The fastest increase has been observed in children and adolescents. Some studies show that 22% of elementary school children are currently (2013) overweight or have obesity (IZZ), compared with no more than 15% in 1990 (WHO Europe, 2012). The "6-10-14 for Health" is the first comprehensive health programme implemented in Poland, focused on long-term health behaviour change both among children with obesity and their families. METHOD(S): Screening tests are carried out at Gdansk schools. The scope of tests includes: body weight assessment, blood pressure measurement, assessment of cardiopulmonary efficiency. Children who are diagnosed with excess body weight are invited to the second level of programme. The whole process is supported by a dedicated IT system enabling management of the care process. Target groups are children in Gdansk, aged 6, 9-11 and 14 years, their parents and the school environment. RESULT(S): Approximately 400-450 new patients join the programme every year. Programme participants receive annual care from an interdisciplinary team of specialists including a paediatrician, dietitian, specialist in physical activity and a psychologist. An IT system has been created to digitize patient data and recommendations, control measured parameters and share them with parents of children under care. The effect of one year's participation in the programme is the reduction of excess body weight in 75% of participants. More than 2000 patients have completed the Programme. The programme is funded by City of Gdansk. CONCLUSION(S): Further implementation of the Programme depends on providing funds from the City of Gdansk. However, it seems that the 6-10-14 for Health is one of the city's health priorities. In 2019, a new health programme "18 + for Health" was implemented, which is a form of follow-up for patients of the "6-10-14 for Health." The proposed care model is fully possible to implement in the care system. So far, sharing knowledge and experience, the programme has been implemented in several other local governments. Current work indicates that the key challenge is to keep participants in the annual program. The challenge in the field of weight reduction programmes is to provide care that will not lead to stigmatization of patients. The work on designing the model has already resulted in creation of network of specialists from different backgrounds and allowed sharing different scopes, how to use limited resources for the benefit of children and adolescens. Based on the programme, activities were created in other cities in Poland (Szczecin, Sosnowiec, PoZdro in Lublin, Warsaw, Wroclaw).