European Parliament, Brussels – November 2025
EASO was pleased to support the launch of a new Special Interest Group this week. MEPs for Action on Obesity was officially launched at an event on 4th November 2025 in the European Parliament. The group is led by Co-Chairs MEPs Romana Jerković and Michalis Hadjipantela.
The launch event brought together policymakers, senior experts, early career professionals, and patient representatives to discuss the need for stronger, coordinated EU-level action on obesity.
Opening the event, MEPs Jerković and Hadjipantela outlined their shared vision to ensuring that obesity is recognised as a chronic, relapsing disease and to promote policies that support prevention, early diagnosis, and equitable access to care across Member States.
Several MEPs shared their motivation for participating in the MEPs for Action on Obesity Special Interest Group, noting that learning about the lived experiences of people affected by obesity had been a key driver for taking action. A strong message throughout was the need to recognise obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease and to challenge outdated narratives that frame obesity as a result of poor choices or behaviour. There was a shared commitment to improving care pathways, reducing stigma, and addressing the broader societal factors that shape obesity – including equitable access to nutritious foods and supportive environments.
Dr Jennifer Baker, EASO President-Elect, spoke on behalf of the scientific and clinical community, emphasising the need for sustained EU-level action on obesity. She highlighted that obesity is a chronic, relapsing disease requiring coherent and long-term policy responses, underscoring the importance of aligning efforts across prevention, early detection, and treatment. Dr Baker also noted that obesity affects people across all ages – with high rates of childhood obesity in Europe and strong tracking into adulthood – reinforcing the need for coordinated policy action across the life course.
Mari-Mette Graff, representing the European Coalition for People living with Obesity (ECPO), shared a powerful personal account of her experience of living with obesity, highlighting its chronic, relapsing nature and the psychological challenges that often accompany the disease. She led participants in an exercise to reflect on feelings of shame, emphasising that addressing obesity stigma must be central to recognising it as a chronic disease.
The Special Interest Group event included examples of best practice from across Europe. Dr Karen Coulman presented Ireland’s HSE Model of Care for the Management of Overweight and Obesity, developed with the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. The model ensures that people living with obesity receive coordinated management of their disease in the health system.
Dr Georgia Colleluori presented Italy’s landmark new law formally recognising obesity as a chronic, progressive, and relapsing disease. Recently approved by the Senate, the law fully integrates obesity into the National Health Service and introduces dedicated funding for prevention, early diagnosis, treatment, and professional training. It also establishes a National Observatory for the Study of Obesity and includes measures to promote health in schools, strengthen social inclusion, and reduce stigma – a major step forward for equitable access to care and patient rights.
Speakers underlined that obesity is a chronic, relapsing disease requiring medical and system-level management. Behavioural measures can contribute towards mitigating risk but are not therapeutic interventions – comparable to sunscreen in skin cancer prevention or smoking cessation in reducing lung disease risk.
During the Q&A, participants raised key questions about the future direction of the group and broader obesity policy in Europe. One question focused on who holds responsibility for education on obesity, with following discussions noting limited coverage of obesity in most medical degree programmes, despite the fact that, once qualified, many of the patients physicians see are likely to live with obesity. Another question asked which healthcare professionals should be responsible for treating obesity. Respondents highlighted the importance of a multidisciplinary team approach, and Ireland’s model of incorporating a bariatric physician within their system of care was shared.
A further discussion explored how all EU countries could be encouraged to formally recognise obesity as a chronic disease, since many have yet to do so. These conversations reflected the group’s proactive engagement and strong enthusiasm for shaping practical next steps.
The meeting concluded with closing remarks from MEP Romana Jerković, who thanked participants and reaffirmed the group’s commitment to sharing best practice, amplifying patient voices, and driving progress on obesity across Europe.
The launch brought together MEPs committed to strengthening EU-level action on obesity, including:
- MEP Romana Jerković
- MEP Michalis Hadjipantela
- MEP Nikos Papandreou
- MEP Manuela Ripa
- MEP de la Pisa Carrión
- MEP Emmanouil Kefalogiannis
- MEP Francesco Torselli
EASO is pleased to provide secretariat support to the MEPs for Action on Obesity Interest Group, and champions engagement between policymakers, scientific experts, healthcare professionals and people living with obesity to advance evidence-based, person-centred policy action across Europe.