Nutrients (Mar 2023)

The ENDORSE Feasibility Study: Exploring the Use of M-Health, Artificial Intelligence and Serious Games for the Management of Childhood Obesity

  • Konstantia Zarkogianni,
  • Evi Chatzidaki,
  • Nektaria Polychronaki,
  • Eleftherios Kalafatis,
  • Nicolas C. Nicolaides,
  • Antonis Voutetakis,
  • Vassiliki Chioti,
  • Rosa-Anna Kitani,
  • Kostas Mitsis,
  • Κonstantinos Perakis,
  • Maria Athanasiou,
  • Danae Antonopoulou,
  • Panagiota Pervanidou,
  • Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein,
  • Konstantina Nikita

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15061451
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 6
p. 1451

Abstract

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Childhood obesity constitutes a major risk factor for future adverse health conditions. Multicomponent parent–child interventions are considered effective in controlling weight. Τhe ENDORSE platform utilizes m-health technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and serious games (SG) toward the creation of an innovative software ecosystem connecting healthcare professionals, children, and their parents in order to deliver coordinated services to combat childhood obesity. It consists of activity trackers, a mobile SG for children, and mobile apps for parents and healthcare professionals. The heterogeneous dataset gathered through the interaction of the end-users with the platform composes the unique user profile. Part of it feeds an AI-based model that enables personalized messages. A feasibility pilot trial was conducted involving 50 overweight and obese children (mean age 10.5 years, 52% girls, 58% pubertal, median baseline BMI z-score 2.85) in a 3-month intervention. Adherence was measured by means of frequency of usage based on the data records. Overall, a clinically and statistically significant BMI z-score reduction was achieved (mean BMI z-score reduction −0.21 ± 0.26, p-value p = 0.017), highlighting the potential of the ENDORSE platform.

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