On May 25, the High-Level Closure Event for the National Action Against Childhood Obesity took place in Athens, Greece, bringing together representatives from ministries, UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and a range of international partners.

Professor Ana Rito, Head of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nutrition and Childhood Obesity, moderated a session on childhood obesity that brought together perspectives from Portugal, Cyprus, Albania, the Republic of Moldova, and Brazil. The discussion provided an opportunity to exchange experiences and reflect on effective strategies to address one of the most pressing public health challenges affecting children worldwide.

During the event, Portugal’s Minister of Health, Dr Ana Paula Martins, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to promoting healthier eating habits and safeguarding children’s health. The conference also highlighted Greece’s comprehensive approach to childhood obesity prevention, underscoring the importance of political commitment, international cooperation, and sustained public health action.

The event represented an important opportunity for knowledge sharing, networking, and strengthening collaborative efforts to prevent childhood obesity and promote healthier futures for children across countries.

From May 12 to 15, in Istanbul, Turkey, CEIDSS participated in the European Congress on Obesity (ECO).

Our presence included the presentation of two scientific posters delivered by Professor Ana Rito, head of the WHO Collaborating Center for Nutrition and Childhood Obesity and CEIDSS Director.

The poster “COSI Portugal (2008–2022) – Informing and Shaping Public Health Policies to Address Childhood Obesity” provided valuable insights into the evolution of childhood obesity trends in Portugal and highlighted the importance of long-term surveillance data in guiding evidence-based public health policies.

The poster “Sociodemographic Profile and Lifestyle Behaviours of Portuguese Participants in the Pilot Study of Better4U – An Innovative European Project to Reduce Obesity Prevalence in Adults” provided an overview of the participants’ key sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle behaviours, contributing to a better understanding of factors associated with obesity risk among Portuguese adults.

It was a valuable moment of learning, knowledge exchange, and collaboration, with the added bonus of exploring the beautiful city of Istanbul.

On April 21, the CEIDSS team attended the 1st Congress on Gastronomy and Health, hosted by the Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo do Estoril.

This congress was founded on the belief that gastronomy, health, sustainability, and tourism are deeply interconnected and play a central role in promoting individual and collective well-being.

The CEIDSS team actively participated in the event by presenting the work entitled “Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among Primary School Children and the Family Environment: Conviviality and Conscious Consumption”.

On the 19th and 20th of February, the Fourth Plenary Meeting of the BETTER4U project took place at the University of Bern. In this meeting, the project consortium discussed the key learnings from the pilot study and the next steps to follow. It was a productive two days filled with interesting discussions and insights, in preparation for the upcoming randomised controlled trial (RCT)

CEIDSS is pleased to share the latest article published in Revista Viver Saudável, authored by CEIDSS President Dr. Ana Rito and Nutritionist and MUN-SI Programme Supervisor, Fátima Martins.

The article, entitled “Nutrition that Transforms: The Nutritionist in Community Projects for the Promotion of Child Health”, highlights the essential role of nutritionists in the development of community-based initiatives aimed at promoting health and healthy eating habits among children.

Throughout the article, the authors reflect on the importance of community-centred interventions grounded in food education, family empowerment, and the creation of health-promoting environments, reinforcing the positive impact that community programmes can have on the prevention of childhood obesity and the improvement of food literacy.

The publication also underlines the importance of multidisciplinary work and the role of nutritionists in school and community settings as agents of social transformation and health equity promotion.

The full article is available in Revista Viver Saudável

The European Commission published the EU Action Plan on Childhood Obesity (2014–2020) to support countries in preventing and reducing childhood obesity through coordinated, evidence-based action.

In Portugal, 29 out of 41 measures were implemented, placing the country among those with the highest levels of implementation in the EU.

Annex V provides a colour-coded, cross-country snapshot of national progress in implementing policies aligned with the EU Action Plan Areas for Action. CEIDSS contributed to Portugal’s country profile, with the MUN-SI Programme, the EAT Mediterranean Project, the Obesity Zero Programme, and the AMEA Kids Project highlighted.

As part of this progress, CEIDSS’s Obesity Zero programme was identified as a European best practice, recognised across three key areas: promoting healthier environments, informing and empowering families, and encouraging physical activity.

You can find more policies and best practices HERE.

Celebrated each year during the first week of August, World Breastfeeding Week, led by WHO, UNICEF, Ministries of Health, and civil society partner, recognises breastfeeding as a cornerstone of lifelong health, development, and equity.

This year, under the banner of WHO’s Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures campaign, the Week will highlight the vital, ongoing support that women and babies need from healthcare systems throughout their breastfeeding journey.

As part of this global initiative, CEIDSS is sharing a series of infographics that showcase why breastfeeding matter, not only for babies, but also for mothers, families, and communities. These resources illustrate how breastfeeding promotes lifelong health, reduces health inequalities, and contributes to sustainable development.

Explore the infographics HERE, learn the facts, and share them to spread awareness.

Together, we can protect, promote, and support breastfeeding at every level!

On July 18, the MUN-SI program, coordinated by CEIDSS, delivered training to around 70 Operational Assistants from schools in Oeiras, as part of the 2024/2025 MUN-SI Oeiras program initiative: “Combating Food Waste at School.”

The purpose of this training was to raise awareness and build the skills of Operational Assistants who supervise school mealtimes, enabling them to promote the reduction of food waste through strategies of positive reinforcement and empathetic communication.

The session included a practical group exercise, in which participants analyzed hypothetical scenarios that could take place in the school canteen and selected, from three options, the most appropriate response.

Ana Rito, Director of CEIDSS, nutritionist, and Principal Investigator at INSA, coordinates the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nutrition and Childhood Obesity. With extensive international experience, she is a leading voice in the fields of nutrition and public health.

In an in-depth interview published in the latest issue of Viver Saudável magazine, Ana Rito shared her professional journey and addressed critical topics such as childhood obesity, the importance of nutritional surveillance, and the current challenges in combating obesity.

The full interview is available in the most recent edition of Viver Saudável, also distributed at the XXV Congress of Nutrition and Food of APN. An excerpt is accessible here.

The ECO Congress took place from May 11 to 14 in Málaga, Spain, bringing together researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and representatives from European projects dedicated to the prevention and treatment of obesity. The event provided a valuable opportunity to exchange scientific knowledge and best practices in the field.

Professor Ana Rito, head of the WHO Collaborating Center for Nutrition and Childhood Obesity, participated in the panel discussion titled “From Data to Action: Results from the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) Round 6 (2022–2024),” sharing the Portuguese results and emphasizing the importance of childhood nutritional surveillance.

There was also an opportunity to present, in the form of scientific posters, some of the work carried out by the CEIDSS team:

• “Obesity and Socioeconomic Vulnerabilities: Evidence from COSI Portugal Supporting Better 4U – A Tailored Approach To Weight Management”;
• “Family Wealth Inequality in Portuguese Children’s Health-Related Quality of Life According to Weight Status – Findings From Cosi/Who Europe Study”
• “Understanding the Intergenerational Impact of Obesity in Portugal: Data from COSI to Support Better 4U – An Innovative European Project”

It was a valuable moment of learning, knowledge exchange, and collaboration, with the added bonus of exploring the beautiful city of Málaga.