WHO is starting a series of policy dialogues to fight obesity across the WHO European Region. These subregional events will bring together countries from the Western Balkans, central Asia and other parts of the Region to learn from national experience and find new ways of preventing an obesity epidemic.
Obesity is often called one of the greatest threats to public health in the 21st century. According to recent WHO data, 59% of adults in the European Region are living with either overweight or obesity. This rate is higher than in any other WHO region except the Americas.
1 in 3 children living with overweight or obesity
“Childhood overweight and obesity is a burning problem; 1 in 3 children in our region is living with the condition, so it’s really important that country health systems are prepared to respond to this challenge,” said Dr Kremlin Wickramasinghe, a.i. Head of the WHO European Office for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD Office).
Overweight and obesity are among the leading causes of death and disability in the Region, and are linked to many NCDs such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Recent estimates suggest this leads to more than 1.2 million deaths annually.
Today, none of the 53 countries in the Region are on track to halting the rise of obesity levels by 2025.
“We need to address the problem from multiple sides, supporting countries not only in the prevention of overweight and obesity, but also in capacity-building for better management. This is one way we can do our part to contribute to the vision of the WHO European Programme of Work 2020–2025, of ensuring better health for all,” continued Dr Wickramasinghe.
Policy dialogues on obesity prevention
The policy dialogues provide an open platform for key health-sector stakeholders from the subregions to get together and consider next steps in implementing evidence-based policy interventions to address obesity.
The Western Balkans policy dialogue was launched in Skopje, North Macedonia, at a high-level event attended by Elizabeta Gjorgievska, First Lady of North Macedonia, and Bekim Sali, Minister of Health of the country.
The central Asian policy dialogue began in Kyrgyzstan with the presentation of a new report based on the latest WHO Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative data gathered in the country.
“The WHO Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative is the largest initiative of its kind. Our focus now is on using the data to accelerate action at the country level, to drive the obesity agenda forward for the next decade. These policy dialogues aim to take some of the initial steps in that direction,” said Dr Wickramasinghe.
Dr Nino Berdzuli, Director of the Division of Country Health Programmes at WHO/Europe, added, “Through the NCD Advisory Council, we are organizing a signature initiative on childhood obesity. This initiative provides an important platform for advocacy, leadership and garnering political support to help us rise to this challenge.”
Learning from countries’ experiences
In parallel with the discussions on policy measures, WHO is organizing train-the-trainer courses and developing materials to build capacity among health workers in the area of childhood obesity management.
“WHO policy dialogues followed by capacity-building workshops will enable Western Balkan and central Asian countries to use their local experience as a basis for new practices in obesity prevention and management,” explained Dr Maria Joao Gregorio, Director of Portugal’s National Program for the Promotion of Healthy Eating, who is facilitating training courses in both subregions.
Dr Gregorio added, “Such formats give us a unique opportunity to find the most effective country-tailored approaches in addressing the obesity epidemic that will benefit the whole WHO European Region.”