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Cost-Effectiveness of an Obesity Management Program for 6- to 15-Year-Old Children in Poland: Data from Over Three
Ewa Bandurska1, Michał Brzeziński2,3, Paulina Metelska1,4
1Department of Public Health and Social Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
Insights
The 6-10-14 for Health program is a cost-effective intervention for childhood obesity. It successfully improved weight indicators in about half of participating children, demonstrating value in public health initiatives.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Health Economics
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a significant global public health issue requiring effective interventions.
- Long-term strategies involving diet, physical activity, and psychological support are key for pediatric weight management.
- Limited research exists on the financial effectiveness of childhood obesity interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the cost-effectiveness of the 6-10-14 for Health weight management program.
- Utilize pharmacoeconomic indicators, specifically the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, for evaluation.
Main Methods:
- Involved anthropometric data from 3,081 children over a 1-year intervention.
- Conducted a comprehensive financial cost assessment of the program.
Main Results:
- The cost to reduce a child from overweight (BMI >85th percentile) was EUR 6,463.
- The cost to reduce a child from obese (BMI >95th percentile) was EUR 5,495.
- Program costs were comparable to multi-component school-based interventions.
Conclusions:
- The 6-10-14 for Health program demonstrates cost-effectiveness.
- An investment of approximately EUR 1,790 per child led to improved weight indicators in about 50% of participants.
- The intervention offers encouraging results when considering long-term obesity-related medical costs.
Background:
Obesity and overweight, including childhood obesity and overweight, pose a public health challenge worldwide. According to the available research findings, long-term interventions focusing on dietary behavior, physical activity, and psychological support are the most effective in reducing obesity in children aged 6-18 years. There are limited studies showing the financial effectiveness of such interventions.
Objective:
The objective of the present study was to evaluate cost-effectiveness of the 6-10-14 for Health weight management program using pharmacoeconomic indicators, i.e., cost-effectiveness analysis using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio.
Methods:
We used anthropometric data of 3,081 children included in a 1-year-long intervention with a full financial cost assessment.
Results:
The cost of removing a child from the overweight group (BMI >85th percentile) was PLN 27,758 (EUR 6,463), and the cost of removing a child from the obese group (BMI >95th percentile) was slightly lower, i.e., PLN 23,601 (EUR 5,495). Given the obesity-related medical costs calculated in the life-long perspective, these results can be considered encouraging. At the same time, when comparing the total costs per participant with the costs of other interventions, it can be noted that they are similar to the costs of school programs containing more than 1 type of intervention.
Conclusions:
The 6-10-14 for Health program can be considered cost-effective. As a result of committing financial resources in the approximate amount of EUR 1,790 per child, around half of the children participating in the program have improved their weight indicators.
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