itaengfraعربي

WHO WE ARE

TAPE-Obesity is a study that is part of Obelisk, a European project created to combat obesity in children and adolescents and thereby prevent complications such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and certain cancers.

The objectives are:

  • Investigate
    the causes and mechanisms of pediatric obesity  
  • Predict and prevent
    the onset of obesity in childhood  
  • Provide
    innovative treatment strategies for children/adolescents with obesity  
  • Promote
    accurate public information on the causes of obesity  
  • Disseminate
    messages useful for preventing discrimination, stigma, and bullying associated with obesity

Obesity is a condition that has reached very high prevalence worldwide in recent decades. Preventing and treating it means avoiding not only negative consequences for physical health but also psychological complications such as body dissatisfaction, anxiety/depression, and social isolation.

TAPE-Obesity focuses on prevention by evaluating the effects of a direct intervention on diet and lifestyle in children and their families from birth. This study involves three different centers: two in Italy (Verona, the leading center, and Messina) and one in France (Lille), which actively collaborate with each other at every stage.

TAPE-Obesity involves the participation of 3,000 newborns, who will be randomly divided into two groups:

  • Intervention group
  • Comparison group

Participation in the study lasts until the child’s third year of life.

At the time of recruitment, a study-dedicated physician will assess the newborn's risk of developing obesity based on information about the family, pregnancy, and the newborn (weight and length). Newborns in both groups will be classified as high or low risk.

These are the main interventions based on the subgroup:

  • High-risk intervention group:
    Parents and the newborn will be followed at the reference Obelisk center (Verona, Messina, or Lille), with meetings with a dietitian every 2-3 months for the duration of the study. Parents will have access to the reserved area of the Tapeobesity website, with a self-monitoring growth app and live chat with a dietitian.

  • Low-risk intervention group:
    Parents will have access to the reserved area of the Tapeobesity website, with a self-monitoring growth app and live chat with a dietitian.

  • Comparator group: No intervention.

All children participating in the study will be measured at their reference Obelisk center at the ages of 1, 2, and 3 years, and on some occasions, parents will answer questionnaires on nutrition, physical activity, and psychological well-being. 

The subgroups will be compared regarding the percentage of children who develop overweight or obesity by the age of 3, as well as the nutritional habits adopted by the child and family


x