Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42736550›Full record

ArticleBMC pediatrics2026

Effectiveness of a digi-physical tool and working method for paediatric obesity treatment in Abu Dhabi: a non-inferiority intervention study using an external historical comparator.

Louise Lindberg, Reem Hassan Beck, Pernilla Danielsson, Timmy Nielsen, Asmahan Abdalla, Peter Ekstedt, Deepti Chaturvedi, Nabras Al Qahtani, Claude Marcus, Asma Deeb

Abstract readEquivalence Trial
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pediatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Louise LindbergDivision of Pediatrics, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. louise.lindberg@ki.se.
Reem Hassan BeckPaediatric Endocrine Division, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Pernilla DanielssonDivision of Pediatrics, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Timmy NielsenEvira AB, Triewaldsgränd 2, Stockholm, Sweden.
Asmahan AbdallaPaediatric Endocrine Division, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Peter EkstedtSwedish Health, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Deepti ChaturvediPaediatric Endocrine Division, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Nabras Al QahtaniPaediatric Endocrine Division, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Claude MarcusDivision of Pediatrics, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Asma DeebPaediatric Endocrine Division, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEffective paediatric obesity treatment requires high intensity, scalable interventions. A digi-physical tool for paediatric obesity treatment has shown positive results in Stockholm, Sweden. This study evaluates whether the same treatment method is effective in a different cultural setting.

methodsThis non-inferiority intervention study, using an external historical comparator, included 60 consecutively recruited children aged 6-15.9 years with obesity who initiated treatment at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City in Abu Dhabi between June and December 2023. Patients were treated with Evira, a digi-physical tool and working method enabling high intensity individualized care, real-time monitoring, and interactive patient-clinician communication. The primary outcome was BMI z-score change at 26 weeks. Non-inferiority was assessed using a predefined margin of 0.10 BMI z-score, with outcomes compared to a prior published trial in Stockholm (n = 107).

resultsA total of 112 children were included in the analysis (Abu Dhabi cohort, n = 35; Stockholm cohort, n = 77). The adjusted mean change in BMI z-score was - 0.20 (95% CI: - 0.28, - 0.12) in the Abu Dhabi cohort and - 0.20 (- 0.26, - 0.14) in the Stockholm cohort (p = 0.88). Non-inferiority was confirmed, (predefined margin 0.10 was not exceeded). A clinically significant BMI z-score reduction (≥ 0.20 units) was achieved by 45.7% of participants in Abu Dhabi and 36.4% in Stockholm (p = 0.35). Non-retention rates at 26 weeks were 41.7% vs. 28.0%, respectively (p = 0.07).

conclusionsThe findings provide promising evidence that treatment outcomes achieved with the digi-physical treatment tool were comparable in the Abu Dhabi and Stockholm cohorts, supporting its feasibility in a second cultural and healthcare setting.

Indexed as

Pediatric ObesityAdolescentBody Mass IndexChildFemaleHumansMaleSwedenTreatment OutcomeDigital healthHome-weighingNon-inferiority intervention studyPaediatric obesityTreatment outcome

Identifiers

PMID42736550
PMCPMC13573347

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.