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Bellagio Declaration

Bellagio Obesity Conference 2013

In June 2013, under the auspices of the International Obesity Taskforce (IOTF) and the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS), a meeting was held in Bellagio, Italy, on the progress of obesity prevention efforts in low and middle income countries.

Obesity is rapidly increasing around the globe. However, the most rapid increases and greatest burden of obesity-related disease (and the related non-communicable diseases) are greatest in low and middle income countries. This conference was focused on learning from some current examples of best practice and on strengthening the role of the academic and civil society players in translating global evidence and experience into action at the national level.

This Bellagio Conference considered that the actions of Big Food have been the most significant force in blocking public health efforts to promote healthy food policies and reduce obesity in many parts of the world. It calls upon all sections of society to take specific actions to protect its citizens, especially children, and its healthy food environments from Big Food’s misuse of its corporate power to undermine healthy food policies. The declaration makes a number of recommendations for action by governments, WHO, other international agencies, civil society organizations, researchers and foundations/funders so as to help reduce global obesity and protect the public from conflicted interests which put their health at risk.

The Bellagio declaration can be downloaded here

Attendees at the meeting included: Annie Ling (Singapore), Barry Popkin (USA), Boyd Swinburn (New Zealand), Carlos Monteiro (Brazil), Celina Gorre (UK), Corinna Hawkes (UK), Camila Corvalan (Chile), Frances Dancy (USA), Francesco Branca (Switzerland), Greg Hallen (Canada), Huijun Wang (China), Juan Rivera (Mexico),Leslie Elder (USA), Ling Foo (Singapore), Neena Prasad (USA), Paul Aveyard (England), Rafael Claro (Brazil), Ricardo Uauy (Chile), Simone Barquera (Mexico), Shu Wen Ng (USA), Shusmita Khan (Bangladesh), Shweta Khandelwal (India), Srinath Reddy (India), Susan Jebb (England), Tracy Kolbe-Alexander (South Africa), Vickie Lambert (South Africa), Vijj Kasemsup (Thailand), Visith Chavasit (Thailand), Wendy Snowdon (Australia), Zhai Fengying (China)

A series of academic papers have also been published as part of a supplement in Obesity Reviews, focusing on experiences in tackling obesity around the world. The supplement can be viewed here.

More information about the Bellagio conference 2013 can be viewed here