MEP Interest Group on Obesity and Health System Resilience

As demonstrated with the EU4Health programme, the European Parliament can play a key role in promoting actions impacting long-term health of EU citizens and strengthening health systems for the future.

The informal interest group, chaired by MEP Pernille Weiss (EPP, Denmark), focuses on implementing obesity as a non-communicable chronic disease. The ambition of the group is to ensure obesity is recognised as a chronic disease in definition, scope and how it is treated beyond primary prevention within policy instruments. The group also goes beyond obesity and considers resilient health systems and ecosystems more broadly.

Key facts

  • In Europe, obesity has tripled since 1980
  • There are over 230 complications of obesity
  • 8.4% of OECD countries’ health budget expenditure is predicted to be spent on obesity and related diseases from 2020-2050
  • Obesity is estimated to cost around €70m per year to health systems alone
  • 10-13% of deaths in different parts of Europe is caused by obesity

Twitter Twitter Feed

To see our messages and to follow us on Twitter, please visit 
https://twitter.com/EUObesity

Main aims and objectives

  • Embed the language of obesity as an NCD (non-communicable disease) within the European Parliament and shift the dialogue beyond prevention
  • Set-up a workable framework for National Plans on obesity as an NCD
  • Advocate for the collection of data across people living with obesity’s life course to enable for realistic treatment and management options
  • Call for the implementation of Obesity Centres of Excellence and sufficient resources to implement obesity as an NCD (interconnected with other NCDs such as cancer)

Obesity and Health System Resilience: Our Manifesto

As we build a new reality across Europe in a Post COVID-19 era, a silent pandemic – the chronic disease (Non-Communicable Disease) of obesity – will persist unless we, as policymakers and civil society alike take action. The time to act is now.

European National Plans on Obesity within NCD Frameworks

Along with over 100 EU stakeholders and across five EU Member States, we call for the inclusion and prioritisation of obesity as a chronic disease in EU level strategies and NCD frameworks.

Past Events

World Obesity Day, Europe

Cost of inaction on obesity study launch

World Obesity Day, Europe

ECO 2022

MEP Interest Group on Obesity and Health System Resilience’s panel discussion.

 

World Obesity Day, Europe

WOD Europe 2022

MEP Interest Group on Obesity and Health System Resilience’s World Obesity Day Event (online)

 

Obesity in European Health Data Space (EHDS), 8 December 2021.

EHDS

Obesity in European Health Data Space (EHDS).

Obesity in European Health Data Space (EHDS), 8 December 2021.

LAUNCH

MEP Interest Group on Obesity and Health System Resilience.

 

About

Obesity in European Health Data Space (EHDS), 8 December 2021.

Who we are

The MEP Interest Group was established in January 2021 and comprises of a Chair, Vice-Chair and membership of interested MEPs across political groups and nationalities.

Obesity in European Health Data Space (EHDS), 8 December 2021.

How do we work?

The MEP Interest Group was established in January 2021 and comprises of a Chair, Vice-Chair and membership of interested MEPs across political groups and nationalities. The MEPs are members of a range of European Parliament Committee groups such as ENVI, ITRE, BUDG, AGRI, FEMM, demonstrating the diversity needed to address resilience and obesity effectively.

The MEP Interest Group meets on average 3 times per year with external stakeholders (annual meeting + other meetings dedicated to obesity and health system-related topics).

Latest Developments