Childhood overweight and obesity threaten to undermine health across the WHO European Region for many years to come. One in three school-aged children are already living with overweight or obesity in the Region, and the rates are increasing in many countries. To find better solutions to this problem, quality data is needed.
The WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD Office) is organizing a webinar to present a new Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) report. Its findings are based on the latest WHO data gathered in
2018–2020 in 33 countries. In total, almost 411 000 children aged 6–9 years were measured.
Topics to be discussed during the report launch include:
- How have the levels of childhood overweight and obesity changed in different countries in recent years?
- What are the most effective policies to halt the rise of childhood obesity in the WHO European Region?
- How can countries use WHO data most effectively?
COSI is now the largest childhood obesity surveillance initiative in the world, with 45 of the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region participating in 2020. COSI provides important and high-quality surveillance data, which enables countries to set
child obesity targets, monitor progress over time and make between-country comparisons.
This initiative is made possible through a vital collaboration between WHO/Europe and research and public health institutions across the European Region.