Regional NHS/School/University Integration Program in the early Prevention of Obesity and Cardiovascular risk in children
Progetto Obesity represents the most relevant Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (MCnT) with a high impact on health and social care systems with alarming effects in childhood due to its related chronic disorders, such as metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Our recent data have shown a dramatic speed up of obesity and its related alterations due to COVID-19 Pandemic and its related stringent containment measures adopted. Therefore, we firstly aim to obtain a screening of the state of art in term of obesity risk in Abruzzo by evaluating the four major cities with the aim to simultaneously adopt prompt preventive strategies able to counteract these effects. Thus, an initial physical evaluation will be performed to evaluate height, weight, waist and hip circumference, four skin-fold thicknesses and blood pressure and the cardiovascular risk will be assessed using the Vicorder instrument. A saliva sample will be collected the analysis of obesity-related gene. Our secondary aim will be to simultaneously adopt and test prompt preventive strategies able to counteract the effect of COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, we will test the effectiveness of a comprehensive multidisciplinary integrated program including school/NHS/university system in reaching a prevention of obesity development during 9 months follow up and to reverse increased adiposity and dysmetabolic state in those children with obesity and overweight. A double intervention program will started including teaching and physical sessions. The teaching programs will be started in all schools including 4 classes7 month evaluating nutrition-related and behavior modification topics facilitated by registered dietitian or pediatricians/pediatric endocrinologist or physiologist for 9 months. Participants will be asked to participate to the physical program for 9 months consisting of free exercise classes 2/week (50 min) taken at the primary school or at the university campus. The program will be repeated and last 2 years.