There will be a new and integrated care program for children and young people with obesity. Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) announced this on Saturday morning during a symposium of the UZ Leuven Obesity Clinic. The need for measures is also evident from the figures: no less than 60 percent of Belgians are overweight.
“We have to get rid of the misconception that obesity is something that children and young people, who are the adults of tomorrow, are to blame for. Obesity is a chronic disease, which, like all other chronic diseases, deserves the best and, above all, the right and affordable care. And that as early as possible,” says Vandenbroucke.
The reform of the care path puts the young person at the center and focuses on three things: detecting obesity on a scientific basis as early as possible, adequately helping and orienting children and young people with obesity and their families as quickly as possible, and providing the necessary care with the right treatment .
Part of the care process is, among other things, that the child will be monitored by a care team. A care coordinator is appointed within that care team, for example a general practitioner or a primary care psychologist. This should help in drawing up, complying with and evaluating a care plan, together with the child and his family or at home.
In addition, in some situations there may also be a role for a case manager. This is a person of trust who is very close to the family, for example a neighborhood or welfare worker or a social assistant. The case manager supports and receives the necessary signals and translates them when things are more difficult at a certain moment, for example.
The new process will be developed by mid-2023 by a working group of the RIZIV.
Roadmap
The UZ Leuven Obesity Clinic also advocates that adult obesity care should be given a clear trajectory, underlining the role of the GP as a pivotal figure, who can refer patients to an obesity center for more complex obesity care. “The step-by-step approach in which the GP plays a crucial role and collaborates with other health professionals is the only way to turn the tide. Such a step-by-step plan should be introduced by the government, so that every person in our country is entitled to an efficient approach. In addition, reimbursement for treatment and follow-up of obesity is urgently needed,” emphasizes obesity specialist Professor Bart Van der Schueren.
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