Abstract
Childhood obesity is nationally and internationally a problem requiring urgent attention. There is general agreement about the need of an integrated approach which includes both prevention of and integrated care for childhood obesity. In this dissertation, the following main research questions are addressed: How can childhood obesity care better connect to the needs and possibilities of children and their parents? What is needed for healthcare professionals to adopt a tailored approach which empowers and supports children and their parents with sustainable behavioral change towards a healthy lifestyle? The research is done in a multi- and interdisciplinary collaboration between the Obesity Center CGG at Erasmus MC Rotterdam, the Care for Obesity project at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and the LIKE consortium, funded by the Dutch Heart Foundation, ZonMw, and Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport.
In general, from this dissertation can be concluded that with a tailored approach integrated childhood obesity care can connect to the needs and possibilities of children with obesity and their parents. Healthcare professionals can do this by acknowledging the breadth and complexity of personal and environmental factors in achieving a healthier lifestyle. Understanding the child and parents’ perspective is thereby of great importance. The role of a coordinating professional, the psychosocial and lifestyle assessment, and the combined lifestyle intervention are the key elements of integrated care which need to be structurally reimbursed. In addition, integrated care needs to be available for healthcare professionals to adopt a tailored approach which empowers and supports children and their parents with sustainable behavioral change.
In general, from this dissertation can be concluded that with a tailored approach integrated childhood obesity care can connect to the needs and possibilities of children with obesity and their parents. Healthcare professionals can do this by acknowledging the breadth and complexity of personal and environmental factors in achieving a healthier lifestyle. Understanding the child and parents’ perspective is thereby of great importance. The role of a coordinating professional, the psychosocial and lifestyle assessment, and the combined lifestyle intervention are the key elements of integrated care which need to be structurally reimbursed. In addition, integrated care needs to be available for healthcare professionals to adopt a tailored approach which empowers and supports children and their parents with sustainable behavioral change.
| Original language | English |
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| Award date | 26 Oct 2023 |
| Place of Publication | Rotterdam |
| Print ISBNs | 978-94-6483-244-0 |
| Publication status | Published - 26 Oct 2023 |
Bibliographical note
The research presented in this dissertation was supported by the NetherlandsCardiovascular Research Initiative: An initiative with support of the Dutch Heart
Foundation and ZonMw (grant number CVON2016-07 LIKE). The research was also part of
the Care for Obesity project (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), which was funded by the Dutch
Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (grant numbers 328544, 329657, 977473, 332401).
