Counseling and treatment
Obesity is a condition characterized by excessive accumulation of body fat that can lead to adverse health effects resulting in reduced life expectancy.
Specifically, of distinction:
- Overweight: condition with BMI (defined as the ratio of weight expressed in kg to height in m2) between the 90th and 97th percentiles in age curves.
- Obesity: condition with BMI (defined as the ratio of weight expressed in kg to height in m2) above the 97th percentile in the curves for age.
Consultations have not only a diagnostic purpose but also a key role in identifying any conditions associated with excess weight.
For this we make use of:
- Medical examination: surveying height, weight, BMI calculation, blood pressure and abdominal circumference values, and clinical-anamnestic assessment of risk factors.
- Blood sampling: assay of metabolic function parameters for detecting glycemic and lipid alterations, hormonal dysfunction and/or vitamin deficiency.
- Abdominal and pelvic sonography: for the evaluation of fat accumulation at the liver level, possible cholecystic calculosis or alterations at the ovarian level.
- Polysomnography: for detecting obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
- Specialist visits: aimed at evaluation and treatment of specific comorbidities.
Treatment of excess weight (overweight/obesity) in children/adolescents is focused on lifestyle modification and has an educational and health promotion goal.
This is realized through:
- Multidisciplinary individual intake program (ADOFIX): involves regular individual patient assessments with family with the involvement of various professionals (pediatrician; dietitian, psychologist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist).
- Multidisciplinary group intake program (BAOBAB): involves regular patient/family group visits and activities with the involvement of various professional figures (pediatrician; dietitian, psychologist, physiotherapist, water aerobics teacher).
