Ana R. Sepúlveda, Andrea Gil Gómez-Lobo, María Del Camino Del Blanco-Barredo, Ana Lilia Sánchez, Chiara Tosi1, Cristina Miguel-Atanes, Marta Rojo, Consuelo Rey & Óscar L. Veiga
An online program for childhood obesity improves physical activity and increases family Access
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology in Childhood and Adolescence / Revista de Psicología Clínica con Niños y Adolescentes has evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of ENTREN-Galaxy, a psycho-family intervention combining psychological strategies, parental involvement, e-Health and gamification to promote healthy habits among children aged 8–12 years with overweight or obesity.
The program, developed by researchers at the Autonomous University of Madrid (Spain), integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and motivational interviewing within a multidisciplinary intervention. ENTREN-Galaxy consists of 16 weekly sessions combining online videoconferencing with face-to-face sessions, and incorporates gamification elements such as levels, points, missions and rewards.
Findings showed high acceptance of the online format: 82.4% of parents strongly agreed that online sessions made the program more accessible to their families, while 76.5% highlighted the time savings and convenience of the digital format. In addition, all children who completed the program reported that they would recommend it to other families.
The authors highlight the potential of digital delivery to reduce logistical barriers for families, while noting that some children preferred face-to-face sessions because of the greater social interaction and perceived motivation. The pilot provides a basis for larger studies directly comparing online and face-to-face delivery formats.
