THE ROLE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF OBESITY AMONG CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF STUDIES FROM 2010–2026
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.3(51).2026.5837Keywords:
Childhood Obesity; Adolescents; Digital Health; mHealth; Telemedicine; Systematic ReviewAbstract
Childhood and adolescent obesity represents a growing global public health challenge associated with numerous metabolic, behavioral, and psychosocial consequences. In recent years, digital health technologies have increasingly been implemented as tools supporting obesity prevention and management among pediatric populations. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the role and effectiveness of digital health interventions in the prevention and management of obesity among children and adolescents, with particular attention to intervention type, target population, measured outcomes, and social implications.
A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Original empirical studies published between 2010 and 2026 involving participants aged 2–18 years were included. A total of 22 original empirical studies published between 2010 and 2026 were included in the qualitative synthesis. The analyzed interventions comprised mobile health applications, telemedicine, internet-based educational programs, text-message interventions, and active video games.
The included studies demonstrated that digital interventions may positively influence obesity-related outcomes, including body mass index (BMI), physical activity, dietary behaviors, self-monitoring, motivation, and adherence to lifestyle modification programs. Telemedicine and mobile health approaches additionally improved accessibility to obesity management services, particularly in underserved populations.
Despite promising findings, considerable heterogeneity in study design, intervention duration, and outcome assessment was identified. Further large-scale longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and sustainability of digital obesity interventions among children and adolescents.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Martyna Sienicka, Yuliia Dubova, Iia Zhaharina, Yaryna Manila, Aleksandra Kłus, Aneta Kasperska, Łukasz Kobiałkowski, Hanna Markowska, Alina Biletska, Valery Doroshkov
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