Policy Laboratory: Building momentum and collective action to address obesity in Europe
Nov 24, 2021Today, a wide range of policies have been identified to address the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity across the globe.
This includes sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes, nutritional standards in schools, restrictions on marketing foods high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) to children, schemes to boost participation in sport, active travel plans, and more. Across Europe, and indeed the world, we can find pockets of action whereby such policies are being implemented in different ways, often in silos, to address local and national obesity.
However, implementation of policies is still overall slow, and we know a range of factors from lack of political will, commercial influence, misconceptions about obesity and lack of funding all contribute to inaction. Further, there is a need to identify opportunities to take a holistic approach to address obesity and identify how different policy actions can be complementary and mutually beneficial for addressing obesity throughout the life course.
Over the past three years, World Obesity has compiled a series of policy dossiers to provide a summary of evidence and resources to help policymakers, NGOs, and others when seeking to implement such policies in their country.
This policy laboratory will provide a platform to discuss and share experiences and best practices of policy implementation through the presentation of several case studies and discuss how we can accelerate the implementation of effective actions to address obesity, by learning from others and through cross-sectoral and cross-country actions.
How can we better collaborate and learn from each other to improve efforts to address obesity?
- Date: 24th November 2021
- Time: 12:00-13:45pm GMT
Audience: Global health and obesity stakeholders, WOF EU members, professional societies, health promotion and advocacy organisations, funding agencies, health policy developers, other departmental officials
- To showcase best practices of policies, programmes, and campaigns to prevent, manage and treat overweight and obesity through the life course
- To identify learnings and recommendations from existing policies, programmes, and campaigns to support new actions across Europe and the rest of the world
- To discuss the diverse range of actors that need to be involved in obesity prevention, management, and treatment efforts and the need for collective, coordinated action
- To discuss how we can use existing experiences and knowledge to improve coordination, collaboration, and cross-sectoral activities to address obesity
Agenda (CET):
13:00-13:05 Opening remarks – Hannah Brinsden, World Obesity Federation
13:05-13:10 Obesity in Europe: The Case for Action – Kremlin Wickramasinghe, World Health Organization
13:10-13:15 Innovative insights from the STOP Project – Stephanie Vandevijvere, Sciensano
Part 1 – Policy, program, and campaign success stories – what can we learn? (30 minutes)
Moderator: Simon Barquera, Institute of Public Health, Mexico, World Obesity Federation Policy & Prevention Committee.
13:15-13:20 Evolution of Childhood obesity strategy in the UK, Alexander Peck, Department of Health and Social Care (UK)
13:20-13:25 Advocating for patient centred care during COVID-19, Alina Constantin, Ligue Contre l’obésité’ (France)
13:25-13:30 Elige Vivir Sano: A systems approach to addressing childhood obesity - Amanda Baker, Elige Vivir Sano (Chile)
13:30-13:50 Q&A
Part 2 – Priorities and next steps in obesity policy (35 minutes)
Moderator: Simon Barquera, Institute of Public Health, Mexico, World Obesity Federation Policy & Prevention Committee.
13:50-14:25 Panel discussion: A road to the future: opportunities, obstacles, and actions
How can we collaborate better and learn from each other to improve efforts to address obesity?
- Jacqueline Bowman-Busato, European Association for the Study of Obesity, Brussels
- Lesly Vejar, Institute of Public Health, Mexico
- Santi F. Gómez GASOL Foundation
- Tasha Mhakayakora, Youth Representative, Bite Back 2030
14:25-14:30 Wrap-up and closing remarks – Hannah Brinsden, World Obesity Federation
Speakers:
- Alina Constantin, Patients’ Council and International Coordinator, Ligue Contre L’obesite. France
- Amanda Baker, Public Policy Analyst, Elige Vivir Sano, Chile
- Alexander Peck, Head of Healthy Weight and Nutrition Strategy and Programme Governance, Department of Health and Social Care, UK
- Hannah Brinsden, Director of Policy, World Obesity Federation, UK
- Jacqueline Bowman-Busato, Policy Lead, European Association for the Study of Obesity, Brussels
- Lesly Vejar, Nutritionist, Institute of Public Health, Mexico
- Santi F. Gómez, Head of Research and Programs, GASOL Foundation, Spain
- Simon Barquera, Executive Director, Nutrition and Health Research Center, Institute of Public Health, Mexico, Policy & Prevention Committee Member
- Tasha Mhakayakora, Trustee, Bite Back 2030, UK
Register here
Please contact events@worldobesity.org for further information, or check our events page for future events.
events