Winners of the World Obesity Day Europe Awards 2024
Organisations from four countries were selected as winners of the World Obesity Day Europe Awards for 2024.
The awards are presented annually by the European Coalition for People Living with Obesity (ECPO) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) for activities and initiatives related to World Obesity Day in Europe.
The winners for 2024 were BASO from Belgium, the NOVA Medical School from Portugal, SKLON from Slovakia, and Obesity UK.
The ECPO Award for Public Engagement
In recognition of awareness and information building about obesity and its treatment
Winner: The Belgian Association for the Study of Obesity, BASO, Belgium (https://belgium.easo.org/)
A public event was organised in Brussels by BASO on World Obesity Day Europe on March 4, 2024, aimed at harnessing the momentum of World Obesity Day and the Belgian Presidency of the EU. The initiative was held in collaboration with the Obesity Platform Belgium, the policy arm of BASO, and focused on a White Paper outlining critical recommendations for preventing and managing obesity, tailored to influence the upcoming elections.
A highlight of the event was the series of presentations by various political party representatives from multiple political groups, including NVA, PS, PTB/PVDA, Les engagés, Vlaams Belang, MR, Open VLD, CD&V, Groen, and VOORUIT. Each party summarised its stance on obesity, outlining its proposed actions and reflecting on the White Paper’s recommendations.
Among the audience were the health advisors of the Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke.
Mrs Nele Steenackers, Board Member of the Belgian Association for the Study of Obesity (BASO), and Prof Dr Bart Van der Schueren, President of BASO and the Obesity Platform Belgium.
Diana Castillo, President of ECPO
World Obesity Day Europe is a wonderful opportunity for people living with obesity to help draw attention to the many challenges they face and to call for greater access to treatment, care, and education. The members of ECPO and our affiliated national organisations are looking forward to participating and organising events again in March,
The EASO Award for Best Collaborative Project
For the best collaborative approach to promoting World Obesity Day Europe
Winner: NOVA Medical School, Portugal (https://www.nms.unl.pt/en-us/faculty/about-us/nova-medical-school)
The Nova Medical School in Lisbon marked World Obesity Day Europe, with events extended over a week to raise awareness about obesity as a disease. The activities targeted current and future healthcare professionals, primarily in medicine and nutrition. Since one of the main pillars of the school is to serve the community, activities directed to patients with obesity and individuals were also included.
Projects included a “WOD Educators Stand” on the school campus, the production of obesity fact sheets, and a game developed to help better understand knowledge, potential biases and prejudices.
An Open Day was also held at the clinic, culinary medicine workshops were held at the NMS Kitchen Lab, and a seminar was organised on obesity and depression.
Some of the members of the winning team from the Nova Medical School in Portugal (from left to right) Margarida Silva (Dietitian-nutritionist, Metabolism and Nutrition Department); Beatriz Nogueira (Dietitian-nutritionist, Metabolism and Nutrition Department); Gabriela Ribeiro (Assistant Professor and Researcher, Metabolism and Nutrition Department); Mariana Nobrega (Nova Medical School extension to community coordinator); and Alexandre Rodrigues (Dietitian-nutritionist, Metabolism and Nutrition Department).
The ECPO Award for Media Engagement
In recognition of mainstream media coverage related to World Obesity Day Europe
Winner: The Slovak Coalition of People with Obesity and Overweight, SKLON, Slovakia (https://www.sklon.sk/)
SKLON’s media activities were outstanding, with a barrage of daytime and evening prime-time TV and radio interviews and extensive news and feature articles in national and local newspapers and online media.
The intention was to educate and inform as many people as possible about obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease. Health experts, patients, and the Chief Public Health expert from the Slovak Ministry of Health were interviewed.
Hanka Vrabcová, President of the SKLON; MUDr. Zuzana Pavlišinová, head of the pediatric department in Bardejovské Kúpeľe, who specialises in the treatment of childhood obesity; Ms. Mgr. Hana Švirková, head nurse of Bardejovské Kúpeľé; and Mr. Ing Pavol Menšík, general director of Bardejovské Kúpeľé.
Diana Castillo, President of ECPO
It was very challenging to select the winners from the many entries we received. There were excellent initiatives throughout Europe helping the World Obesity Day Europe campaign to reach an estimated 300 million people
The ECPO Award for Patient Engagement
For the best engagement with patients living with obesity in Europe.
Winner: Obesity UK (https://obesityuk.org.uk/)
Obesity UK was nominated for the award for the work the organisation has done around World Obesity Day Europe to support and improve the lives of people living with obesity. The team attended many professional events to ensure the patients’ voices were heard and that patients were engaged with the professional healthcare community. Obesity UK also created high public awareness through the extensive use of the World Obesity Day flags and other publicity materials and social media, encouraging the general public to participate. The Key team members made a point of always being only a text or phone call away to provide advice and guidance.
Members of the Obesity UK award-winning team