The II Conference of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborative Centre for Nutrition and Childhood Obesity, held in Lisbon, was attended by the Secretary of State for Health, who underscored Portugal's progress in reducing childhood overweight. In 2008, the country ranked second in Europe, and by 2022, it had fallen to 14th.
The event marks a decade of collaboration between the National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA) and the WHO, coinciding with 20 years of childhood nutritional surveillance through the WHO Europe's COSI study.
Ana Povo emphasized that obesity is a governmental priority, presenting the new National Program for Obesity Prevention and Management. This program focuses on two pillars: early prevention and treatment, with the establishment of Multidisciplinary Obesity Teams in all Local Health Units, including services for children and their families.
Fernando Almeida, President of INSA, recalled that Portugal was a pioneer in 2007 in integrating and leading COSI, the largest European childhood obesity surveillance system. This work, over nearly two decades, has enabled the collection of consistent data on the nutritional status of Portuguese children and the monitoring of childhood obesity trends in the country.
