Overweight in children has become a major public health issue. According to the WHO, the proportion of young people aged 5 to 19 concerned increased from 8 % in 1990 to almost 20 % today. In early September, for the first time, UNICEF alerted: obesity now goes beyond weight insufficiency in children and adolescents of school age. And the consequences go far beyond the balance. “”Overweight increases the risk of physical illnesses and mental disorders and has negative impact on children’s social interactions “underlines Anne Schienle, director of the department of clinical psychology at the University of Graz. This scientist piloted an unprecedented project: testing the “open placebos” as a tool for supporting obese children. Unlike classic placebo, this variant assumes its lack of substance. And yet, the experiences carried out show a surprising impact.
A simple blue spray helps reduce appetite
For her studies, she used a oral spray of colored water in blue presented, like a placebo. The children then viewed images of candy, fruit and other foods. Verdict: their appetite decreased after taking, even knowing that it was only water. Among adolescents, on the other hand, the effect was more limited.
Children and adolescents then assessed their attraction to food. “”We observed that the open placebo decreased the response to food signals in children, even if they were aware that it was only water “explains Schienle. On the other hand, adolescents were more skeptical about this concept and did not feel this effect. This suggests that the effectiveness of open placebos is based on the positive layout of each person.
© A. Schienle
Open placebos reduce appetite, especially in people who expect a positive effect, as has demonstrated by a study by the University of Graz.
The brain stronger than the substance
How to explain that a placebo “assumed” works anyway? For Anne Schienle, the key lies in the theory of incarnation: “According to this theory, therapeutic success is obtained thanks to physical rituals that we know in the health field, such as taking medication. This triggers unconscious mechanisms and stimulates the power of self-healing “.
These open placebos could therefore find their place in fields where self -regulation is crucial, such as food or physical exercise. A study by the same team also showed that kindergarten children, after receiving this placebo, appreciated physical activity more and improved their performance.
An experience that arouses debate
If the results intrigue, they also arouse debates. During a survey, a third of parents were fiercely opposed to the idea, judging its improbable efficiency. Another third party, on the contrary, saw it as an interesting track and said he was ready to test this type of intervention. “”It was the first time in my career as a researcher that I could not conduct a longitudinal study, for lack of volunteers “regrets the scientist.
To overcome this skepticism, his team is now putting on psycho-education. Objective: explain the mechanism, question negative representations and identify receptive people.
Anne Schienle remains convinced that, even if this approach will never replace global care, she could become a precious help for certain children. According to her, “A real change in behavior on the weight problem can only be done in several steps “.