An
official list of rules has been drawn up by a Danish paediatrician, Dr. Holm, specializing
in childhood obesity, and is known as The Children’s Obesity Clinic’s Treatment
protocol. He is thought to have helped approximately 1,300 obese children lose
weight since he first launched his trial in 2008. The trial simply involved the
drawing up of a list of rules that this group of obese children and their
families had to adhere to, and looking at results from the recent
implementation of this protocol, it seems to have worked. Health professionals
should be excited about its potential implementation here. It could seriously
change the ever-increasing rates of childhood obesity here in Britain. The
Danes say they have cured childhood obesity and it doesn’t seem to have been
too difficult a task either!
The
protocol includes a list of rules and simple guidelines which include; not
allowing second helpings of food within a 20 minute period (to help facilitate
this, pots and saucepans are kept off the table and in the kitchen): rationing sweets
to one occasion per week: both juices and soft drinks are only allowed once a
month; and children have to walk or cycle to school where feasible in terms of
distance. These sound like easy steps to take but thanks to this four-year
observation, they have now been found to make all the difference.
About
one in three children in Britain suffer with weight problems or are obese
before they leave primary school and this number only looks set to increase
over the coming years. Dr. Holm’s intervention includes a thorough medical exam
per child, before tailor-making them and their families a specific set of rules
regarding diet and lifestyle that they must follow.
The
Danish trial began in 2009 and involved 1,900 patients. A whopping 70% are said
to have lost significant amounts of weight over the last four years and furthermore,
have succeeded in keeping it off.
Between
2012 and 2013 there were 6.6% less hospital admissions with an obesity
diagnosis than between 2011 and 2012 here in Britain, however, the figure is
still nine times higher than it was between 2002 and 2003 according to data
collected by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. These figures are
alarming and yet, nothing is happening in the way of national intervention.
According
to The McKinsey Global Institute, obesity is costing the economy as much as smoking
or armed conflict does worldwide. The institute also promotes the need for a
national response to the obesity crisis right now. They contend that it is no
longer sufficient to pour money into educational messages and hope to penetrate
the individual. Rather, action across the work force, society and government is
required.
Perhaps
taking example from Dr. Holm’s, so far successful, protocol would be a good
start.
You can read more about the study at Parentdish.