Chapter 12 - Worldwide institutional policies to end with childhood obesity

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This paper provides a detailed and structured overview of the multifaceted approach being taken worldwide to address the childhood obesity epidemic. It highlights the complexity of the issue, the varied strategies being employed, and the importance of continued efforts and collaboration to effectively tackle this global health challenge. Childhood obesity is a global epidemic with serious health and economic repercussions for countries worldwide. The proportion of children and adolescents living with overweight and obesity has nearly doubled over 10 years. This has led to a concerted effort by policymakers on a global scale to implement action plans and strategies on an international, national, and sub-national level to combat this global epidemic. Childhood obesity surveillance carried out via the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) is indispensable for showcasing intercountry variability and also the progress or regress in addressing childhood obesity over time, while also highlighting the higher impact in vulnerable groups. The complex etiology of childhood obesity requires multisectoral actions with a whole-of-society approach that tackles the contribution of not just nutrition and physical activity but also other social and economic determinants of health. The WHO Report of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity, along with other international reports, proposes priority actions for countries to focus on. These priority actions are designed to develop health-enabling environments that benefit children right from the preconception stage, throughout pregnancy and early infancy, during their time spent at school and in leisure activities, and within their community. These reports acknowledge the need for a strengthened role of primary care in managing and treatment of children living with overweight and obesity and emphasizes the importance of reaching out to vulnerable and marginalized populations as means to attaining universal health coverage and ensure quality care for people living with obesity. This report presents a picture of the various action plans and strategies implemented in different countries of the WHO European Region and provides a summary of the implementation status of the policies and interventions aimed at ending childhood obesity. Despite the progress made so far, challenges remain for countries to achieve the international targets set by the United Nations and the World Health Organization. Effective actions are needed to address not just the barriers to healthy behaviors but also to understand and address the role of stigma, mental health, and shortcomings in the context of health systems.