Child and adolescent obesity is a complex, multifactorial but also largely preventable disease; as a consequence its management needs a multilevel and integrated approach to be successful.
This article describes the Preventive Diagnostic Therapeutic Assistance Pathways (PPDTA) for children with overweight and obesity delivered by trained multidisciplinary teams in the Emilia-Romagna Region. The regional “Guidelines for early detection, assessment and treatment of childhood obesity” were launched in 2013 (DGR 783/2013) and in 2017 WHO/Europe mentioned them as good practice and Country example. Training in childhood obesity prevention and management was delivered for all the primary care paediatricians (PCPs) and the members of the multidisciplinary teams. The PPDTA is based on three progressive levels: Level 1: PCPs. Level 2: a multidisciplinary team consisting of paediatricians, sports medicine doctors, exercise specialists, dieticians and psychologists experienced in paediatric obesity defines the clinical condition of children referred by the PCPs and runs the lifestyle change multi-component interventions. Level 3: is carried out by specialized clinicians in the hospital setting on a multidisciplinary basis for children with more severe and complicated obesity. In case of therapeutic failure, the PCP refers the child to the second-level multidisciplinary team. The second-level assessment and intervention are conducted at public health departments or at public health centres. During treatment, each team member uses the same tools, such as motivational interviewing for encouraging behaviour change. A standard evaluation framework is in place to assess the quality and effectiveness of the weight multidisciplinary management services, with three types of regional evaluation indicators: anthropometrics, lifestyle changes (eating habits, sedentary and physical activity) and equity. An improvement in weight status was observed in both children and adolescents with overweight and obesity. Interventions targeting at specific behaviours, such as increasing fruit and vegetable intake, habitually eating a balanced breakfast and reducing sedentary behaviour have been found effective as well.