HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT: MES LAB. “BE FOOD” PROJECT FUNDED BY TUSCANY REGION PROMOTES A HEALTHY FUTURE FOR ADOLESCENTS
Diet, nutrition and obesity as a nutritional disorder are significant and growing adolescents’ health issues. Rates of childhood and adolescence obesity have risen dramatically in recent decades and represent a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Shaping a healthy future for children and adolescents means school-based classroom education and “self-education” parent and community programs designed to empower children and families to make and sustain healthy choices.
The Tuscany Region authority has funded the “Be Food” project coordinated by the Healthcare Management Laboratory of Sant’Anna School in partnership with Rete Sviluppo. The project results have been presented on May, 31, 2017, in Florence.
Several studies have explored the factors influencing the management of lifestyle issues in high-income and lower-income countries. The “Be Food” project analysis of factors associated with self-reported practice in a “peer-review” survey has reported associations between behavioral risk factors and survey participants’ characteristics (age, gender, and type), beliefs and attitudes.
49 high-school students from Tuscany were engaged in the project “Alternanza scuola lavoro”, as provided by law “Buona Scuola”. As part of the assessment of risk factor management, all students were asked to complete a “professional” social research in the form of verbal and written interaction with their peers. Assessment was defined as having asked the peer network significant information to determine if the risk factor was present and which method was appropriate to address the issues with other participants.
The student network reached 5000 individuals aged 16 - 17 years. The findings highlight the importance of the adolescents team work in understanding lifestyle risk factors, the health consequences of becoming overweight and obese at younger ages, strategies to change behaviors, and better quality diets to support positive youth development. Elements that appear to support change included dietary guidance and advice on physical activity. The “Be Food” project that has been funded by the Tuscany Region focused on either weight loss or prevention of weight gain. The project incorporated media and technologies frequently used by the young. The interventions used different delivery modes including web-based courses, text messaging, Smartphone apps and social media and self-monitoring devices.
Stefania Saccardi, Tuscany Region representative of Ministry of Healthcare, attended the project presentation together with academics of the Sant’Anna MeS Lab.
“Obesity has significant implications on the National Healthcare System. Obesity and diet-related diseases are largely preventable but present a major challenge to developing effective solutions. The National Healthcare System is working on a variety of schemes (promoting a healthy diet to prevent overweight, providing standard dietary recommendations, support for obese children and adults) to encourage young people to live healthier life and play a key role in maintaining and managing their own health” said the researchers of Healthcare Management Laboratory of Sant’Anna School.
