The Helsinki University Hospital serves half a million patients annually. They use MealLogger as part of their digital weight loss program. Photo taken from HUS.

Helsinki University Hospital (HUS), the largest healthcare provider in Finland, has started offering MealLogger as part of its new digital weight loss program. Serving over half a million patients annually and employing approximately 25,000 health professionals, HUS is an innovator in the field of obesity management, deploying new therapies and treatments in conjunction with digital-based care paths.

The digital weight management program within HUS currently serves over 1000 patients across Finland. New tools and eHealth services made available to patients and the public include weight management information, tests and quizzes, videos and other materials. One tool featured by the Weight Management House is the MealLogger photo food journal mobile application. It is used as a tool for both individual and group counseling for health professionals.

Modern approaches to obesity management must be patient-centric. According to Professor Kirsi Pietiläinen from the HUS Abdominal Center, treatments should be tailored to patients along the dimensions of diet, stress management, sleep, exercise, and psychology.

One approach being debuted for weight management at HUS is the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

“ACT is a good basis for lifestyle changes,” said Anette Palssa, a licensed nutritionist. “It is based on an individual’s values and everyday actions. The overall goal is to be able to be present in one’s own life, to accept one’s own emotions, and to gain distance from thoughts in order to focus on actions that promote personal well-being.”

Link to Original Article (in Finnish): https://www.hus.fi/hus-tietoa/uutishuone/Sivut/Lihavuuden-hoito-muuttuu-positiiviseen-ja-hyv%C3%A4ksyv%C3%A4%C3%A4n-suuntaan.aspx