The WHO Collaborating Centre for Nutrition and Childhood Obesity (WHO CC/INSA) supported the organization of the WHO event: “Implementing policies to reduce obesity in Southern European Countries”, in Athens on 18th and 19th of June 2024, promoted by the WHO Europe’s Special Initiative on NCDs and Innovation.
In this event, Ana Rito did a presentation entitled: “Influence of COVID-19 pandemic on childhood obesity – Report of the COVID-COSI study”.
There was a discussion between key stakeholders from the Southern European and Mediterranean countries and WHO experts, to highlight existing examples and future opportunities to reduce obesity prevalence.
This meeting was a great opportunity to
-identify key stakeholders from the Region, their considerations and future actions on the prevention and management of obesity;
-detect and reflect on priorities for the policy actions on obesity in the countries of the Southern Europe;
-share information about the best practices in the participating countries and explore possibilities for its implementation in their national settings.
This initiative had parallel activities with children, who participated in a basketball game with a professional athlete to promote physical activity, and in a cooking class with an executive chef to learn to prepare nutritious healthy meals.