Utilization of telemedicine in the care of children with obesity.

Obesity is a chronic, relapsing, and progressive disease with increasing prevalence, that significantly impacts health and quality of life, even in children. It is associated with an increased risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Additionally, obesity can lead to the development of sleep apnea syndrome, orthopedic issues, and psychological complications. The cornerstone of the care is educating the whole family about a healthy lifestyle; however, this may often be challenging due to obstacles such as time constraints, limited access to specialists, and low long-term adherence of families. Telemedicine offers an innovative approach to improving obesity treatment in children through digital tools, online consultations, smart applications, and wearable technologies. It enables more effective monitoring of dietary and physical activity habits, supports mental health, and reduces time and financial burdens for families. Studies indicate that combining in-person and remote support, along with active involvement of family members, leads to higher success rates in weight reduction and a healthy lifestyle maintenance. This article focuses on the use of telemedicine in the treatment of obesity in children, providing an overview of the methods applied in this field and their effectiveness in the context of current scientific knowledge.