Through interactive face to face workshops, all participants, including policymakers, researchers, clinicians and patients, were asked to brainstorm what should be the top 10 components to include in an EU level Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Framework for Obesity as a Chronic Disease; namely for early diagnosis, treatment, and long-term management.
Gathering all the ideas collected in the country workshops, the MEP Interest Group secretariat drafted an outline of the key elements to include and organised a vote with all contributing and interested parties via an online plenary which took place virtually on 1 March.
Key elements which were unanimously agreed upon were:
- Securing underlying infrastructures that enable standardised guidelines, primary and secondary data capture and evaluation along the life course
- Mandatory integration of obesity as an NCD and the biology of obesity for medical education as per the EU Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive.
- Specific education and training for Primary Care health professionals.
- Building funding mechanisms that enable the availability of resources and reimbursement of evidence-based treatment and management pathways
- Enabling access to full portfolio of appropriate treatment options
Following the vote, the secretariat was then able to finalise the joint declaration and launch it on 4 March for World Obesity Day Europe. The event was very well attended with 459 stakeholders registering, including key EU policymakers.
France
Italy
Denmark
Spain
