The 24th European Congress on Obesity (ECO2017) will take place in the beautiful city of Porto, one of the most popular city break destinations in Europe, from 17 to 20 May 2017 at the Alfandega Congress Centre, recently voted one of the best meeting and conference venues in Europe.
Late breaking abstracts are open until March 10th on the congress website
EASO Wins ‘Best Lobbying Campaign’ at the 2017 European Association Awards
EASO is delighted to announce that we won ‘Best Lobbying Campaign’ for our European Obesity Day 2016 (#EOD2016) campaign at the 2017 European Association Awards.
The campaign struck a strong chord with the judges. Obesity affects nearly 100 million citizens in Europe and is one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century, costing €70 billion in healthcare and lost productivity.
Learn more about our campaign for European Obesity Day on the EASO website
Balancing Upstream and Downstream Measures to Tackle the Obesity Epidemic
An important new position statement has been published in Obesity Facts (OFA) by the EASO Prevention and Public Health Task Force (PPHTF). Public health actions to tackle obesity have historically focused on individual-level changes to diet and physical activity, rather than the upstream actions required to alter the structural drivers of behaviour.
Read the full position statement, including notes and references, on the Obesity Facts website
EASO Healthy Hydration Working Group: Meet Maria Luger
“I started working in the field of obesity when I joined the research group of Professor Bernhard Ludvik. I worked on my PhD thesis concerning vitamin D, liver fibrosis, and bone metabolism in bariatric patients. Furthermore, I was involved in a research project on developing an Austrian practice model of medical and nutritional care following bariatric surgery at the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, which is a member organization in the EASO COMs Network.”
Patient Council Spotlight: Meet Audrey Roberts of Scotland
“My weight has decreased again and I’m feeling emotionally and physically well again. I’ve learned that food is only the symptom and not the cause of the issue; for me it was a form of self medication. What was needed was to identify the problem and deal with that.”
Variations in the Prevalence of Obesity Among European Countries
Over the last 10 years the prevalence of obesity across the European continent has in general been rising. With the exception of a few countries where a levelling-off can be perceived, albeit at a high level, this upward trend seems likely to continue. However, considerable country to country variation is noticeable, with the proportion of people with obesity varying by 10% or more. This variation is intriguing and suggests the existence of different profiles of risk or protection factors operating in different countries. The identification of such protection factors could indicate suitable targets for interventions to help manage the obesity epidemic in Europe.
View the full report on the Obesity Facts website
We are pleased to announce the official launch of European Obesity Day 2017, which will be held on Saturday 20 May. We launched the campaign on World Cancer Day, 4 February 2017.
Our theme for #EOD2017 is Tackling Obesity Together. Follow us on Twitter @EOD2017 and search and tag updates using the hashtag #EOD2017. Connect with us on Facebook too!
Learn more on the European Obesity Day website.
EASO Announces New Obesity Knowledge Transfer Series
EASO and SIO are proud to announce the new Obesity Knowledge Transfer Series: Italy – a core CME programme with a set of resources and best practices to educate health professionals in effective clinical management of obesity. This online, bilingual website was developed in partnership with mdBriefCase Group and is the result of international collaboration by world-renowned physicians specialising in obesity and weight management.
We look forward to expanding the reach of these resources to other countries across Europe. More details will be available soon on the EASO website.
People-First Language: Infographic for Healthcare Settings
Bias against people with obesity is well documented and has a major impact on health care delivery. People-First language can help tackle this challenge. EASO and our partner organisations urge everyone to use people first language to tackle discrimination.
For more resources on communicating about obesity please visit the EASO Media Portal
Mark Your Calendar for the 5th Canadian Obesity Summit
This upcoming networking and learning opportunity is so big the Canadian Obesity Network only organises it every other year – and in 2017, it’s taking place in one of Canada’s most historic venues in the breathtaking Rocky Mountain setting of Banff, Alberta. The Summit, held April 26-28, 2017, presents a unique opportunity to hear the latest research, teach and learn best practices, network with peers and make new connections to advance obesity prevention and treatment internationally. Read more on the Canadian Obesity Summit website
Sólveig Sigur∂ardóttir: “Eat your way to better health”
Congratulations to our Patient Council colleague Sólveig Sigurðardóttir who has been acknowledged in a major Icelandic newspaper as a Reykjavík health champion. Now in the fifth year of her journey, Sólveig teaches others strategies for working toward a healthy family lifestyle. Sólveig’s approach focuses on healthy foods rather than strict dieting. Sharing recipes, cooking methods, with a focus on physical activity, self-care and personal respect, she has helped hundreds of people each year learn about living a healthier happier life.
Full article and photos are available on the EASO website
New Sugar Recommendations for Austria
The Austrian Diabetes Association, ÖDG, has issued a public statement recommending that citizens reduce excessive sugar consumption, which drives obesity, diabetes and NAFLD. The Association recommends sugar-reduced alternatives and suggests that if these become more affordable and widely available, it may help reduce health challenges among high risk populations, particularly young people and those with lower SES.
For more information please visit the EASO website
MooDFOOD is a multidisciplinary consortium involving 13 organizations in 9 European countries, using a unique integrative approach which combines expertise in nutrition, consumer behaviour, psychiatry and preventive psychology.
View an updated webcast on the project website
EASO Media Portal Offers Resources to European Journalists
The EASO Media Portal has been developed to provide a practical resource to pan-EU journalists and provides up-to-date, relevant information about obesity. It is an evolving tool which is updated regularly as new resources and information become available.
Announcing the 22nd World Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders
EASO is pleased to announce the 22nd World Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders, 29th August – 2nd September 2017. The IFSO scientific program will cover both surgical and nonsurgical treatment strategies for obesity, includes nine postgraduate courses, numerous oral, video and live operating sessions, as well as bariatric medicine symposia in conjunction with EASO.
Locations Announced for ECO 2018 and ECO 2019
EASO is hosting the 25th annual European Congress on Obesity (#ECO2018) from 23-26 May 2018 in beautiful Vienna, Austria.
In 2019 we are delighted to host the ECO in Glasgow.
Please check the EASO website for further information, coming soon.