SCOPE School Mexico 2026: our biggest ever, and the curtain-raiser for ICO 2026

SCOPE School Mexico 2026 has closed the books as the largest SCOPE School we have ever delivered - and the first at this scale to run fully bilingually in Spanish and English.

Held on 14 July at the Hotel Bel Air Unique in Mexico City, in partnership with our members at the Sociedad Mexicana de Obesidad (SMO), the School served as the official opening event of ICO 2026 week - setting the tone for the three days of the Congress that followed at the World Trade Center Mexico City.

A full day, delivered in two languages

The School ran as a single, intensive day, co-chaired throughout by Shubo Saiful, World Obesity's Head of Education, and Dr Ricardo Luna, delivered fully bilingually in English and Spanish - a first for a SCOPE School at this scale. After registration and a short interactive pre-assessment, the co-chairs opened by setting out what SCOPE and SCOPE School are, and why the programme matters specifically for Mexico and the wider Latin America region.

From the changing epidemic to the clinic

Shubo Saiful opened the academic programme with a look at the shifting shape of the obesity epidemic across Mexico, Latin America and the world in 2026 - framing the day's clinical sessions within that broader picture.

From there, the morning moved through the biology and assessment of the disease: Dr Rodrigo Alonso (Chile) presented on adipose tissue expandability, and how adipose dysfunction and inflammation mark the starting point of disease, while Dr Ricardo Luna addressed the practical side of clinical evaluation - what to measure, how to measure it, and why it matters. Dr Jeffrey V. Lazarus followed with a session on MASLD/MASH in clinical practice, addressing when to act and how to integrate liver health into obesity treatment - each session followed by an interactive discussion with the floor.

Cardiometabolic health, paediatrics and pharmacotherapy in practice

Following the afternoon break, Dr Ada Cuevas (Chile) presented on nutritional strategies for preserving muscle mass during weight loss, before Dr Bruno Halpern (Brazil) addressed cardiorenal-metabolic syndrome - its diagnosis, progression and clinical management. Dr Nayely Garibay then turned to paediatric and adolescent care, setting out the criteria for comprehensive medical management of childhood and adolescent obesity.

The day's final academic session brought theory back to practice, as Dr Chih Hao Chen Ku discussed pharmacotherapy - how, when and whom to treat, including when to combine medications - earlier in the day, and closed the programme with real clinical cases exploring obesity and associated disease in patients with a normal or near-normal BMI, alongside a session from Dr Héctor Esquivias on behaviour, psychology and modern approaches to obesity management.

After a final interactive assessment, conclusions and closing remarks from Shubo Saiful and Dr Ricardo Luna, the day closed with a reception in the Salón Guadalajara - bringing an end to Mexico's biggest SCOPE School.

Setting the tone for ICO 2026

As the official curtain-raiser for ICO 2026, SCOPE School Mexico set a fitting tone for the Congress week ahead: rigorous, practical, and rooted in collaboration between Mexican and international expertise. For many of the 434 attendees, it was their first introduction to the wider ICO community - a fitting start to a week that would go on to welcome 2,622 delegates from 72 countries.