2024 in review: Events
This year we hosted events that have advanced knowledge in obesity management and provided a global platform to share meaningful engagement and action on obesity.
These included the return of regular SCOPE Schools around the world, our largest most successful ICO to date, the launch of a new education webinar series SCOPE Sessions, and more.
World Obesity Day 2024
World Obesity Day once again took place on 4 March, and along with UNICEF and World Health Organisation, we held a Global Obesity Coalition webinar focusing on youth-led change, titled ‘Obesity and Youth: Young people catalysing change’.
The webinar focused on cross-cutting conversations between global health representatives, youth and the world around us to see how we can address obesity together, unlock conversations around how this topic affects the lives of young people around the world and the concrete change young people are demanding.
Attended by over 300 people, the online panel discussions and presentations served as a moment for those decision makers working in UN agencies, academia, civil society, and government to listen up.
You can view the webinar here:
Watch webinar
International Congress on Obesity 2024
In June, we hosted the 2024 edition of the International Congress on Obesity. Partnering with our members, The Brazilian Association for the Study of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome (ABESO), the gathering in São Paulo brought together over 3,000 attendees (online and in-person) from all around the world, a testament to the global recognition of obesity as a critical health challenge. The congress stood out not only for its robust scientific programme but also for the environment it fostered - a place where experts from diverse backgrounds could easily connect, share, and learn from one another. You can read more about the highlights of the congress here.
The sessions were wide-ranging, covering everything from basic science to public health strategies, from the latest in obesity management medications to the complexities of ultra-processed foods and their impacts on health. It was particularly gratifying to see packed rooms not only for clinical discussions but also for basic science and public health, demonstrating the breadth of interest and expertise present.
Mixed sessions, where different perspectives were brought together, were especially rewarding and highlighted the importance of a holistic approach to obesity - one that considers both prevention and treatment.
Catch up on the recap video and daily reporting from the congress here:
Watch recap video
SCOPE Schools
We were delighted to host no less than four SCOPE Schools in 2024. These took place in São Paulo, Melbourne, Abu Dhabi and China.
There were several side events that took place during ICO, including a SCOPE School held in São Paulo on 26 June. With the help of our Clinical Care Committee Chair, Dr Ada Cuevas, and local experts, it bought together over 80 health professionals to discuss collaborative approaches to address obesity in a more interactive setting.
Collaborating with IFSO at their annual congress World Obesity also hosted a SCOPE School in Melbourne as part of the pre-congress programme on 3 September. Over 60 people attended to listen to global experts discuss an integrated health approach to obesity management, and included regional and international speakers, and delegates from mostly Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the UAE.
On 18 November, just after the 6th UAE Obesity Conference, over 120 attendees and speakers gathered at the SCOPE School in Abu Dhabi. Mostly from the UAE, attendees heard from many local experts including course Chair, Dr Sara Suliman, on a comprehensive agenda including discussions on regional roadmaps, the biology of obesity, childhood obesity, pharmacotherapy, lifestyle management, and overcoming barriers to care, ensuring a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to support people living with obesity.
Our final SCOPE School of the year took place in Beijing, China, working in collaboration with our members, the China Obesity Federation (COF) and the Obesity Prevention and Control Section of the Chinese Nutrition Society (OPCS-CNS). Our course Chairs, Dr Charles Zhang from COF, and Dr Kwang Wei Tham from the Singapore Association for the Study of Obesity, were immensely helpful in developing the programme and faculty and working with us to gather over 200 health professionals from across China who wanted to learn and enhance their skills and knowledge in obesity management.
SCOPE Sessions
In 2024 we also launched a new webinar series titled 'SCOPE Sessions', designed to provide healthcare professionals with world-class training in obesity management.
We wanted to make the essential education accessible to healthcare providers worldwide, empowering them with the knowledge and skills to better support patients with obesity. Each session will cover a specific aspect of obesity management and contribute to the journey towards SCOPE Certification.
So far we have offered three sessions focusing on:
- Obesity and Cardiovascular disease
- Obesity and PCOS
- Obesity and Sleep Apnea
Future topics in 2025 will include:
- Childhood Obesity
- Obesity and lipoedema
- Bariatric Surgery
- Obesity and Eating disorders
- Cancer and Obesity
You can read more here and sign up to receive details about the next webinar and how to register.
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