Tackling childhood obesity by mobilizing society towards prevention
Abstract
Childhood obesity is a critical public health challenge, with profound implications for individuals and society. Its rising prevalence and associated economic burdens demand urgent and effective preventive strategies to mitigate obesity-related complications. The workshop, titled “Tackling Childhood Obesity by Mobilizing Society towards Prevention,” will explore the multifaceted dimensions of childhood obesity and foster collaborative efforts to develop actionable prevention strategies in Chile and Sweden. It aims to bring together stakeholders from diverse disciplines, including health, biology, sociology, epidemiology, economics, public policy, and food production, united by a shared commitment to promoting child health through real-world prevention initiatives.
A central focus will be on addressing the limitations of current interventions, which have failed to achieve substantial and sustained health outcomes despite the alarming obesity rates in both nations. Promising results from integrated, whole-of-community approaches will be highlighted as a foundation for transformative solutions. Key discussions will center on designing sustainable interventions and evaluating their impact on families and individual children, generating robust evidence of their success.
The selection of communities for pilot evaluations will prioritize strong political and community support, effective data collection and analysis capacities, resource availability, and established cross-sectoral collaborations. Furthermore, close partnerships between governments and research institutes will ensure evidence-based decision-making and adaptability of strategies over time.
By fostering a preventive culture and leveraging a holistic, community-driven approach, this workshop aims to catalyze system-level transformations in Chile and Sweden, setting the stage for scalable solutions to combat childhood obesity globally.
Key word: Child obesity
EXPECTATIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS
The contribution of participants in our Research Theme will be essential in addressing the complex societal challenge of childhood obesity in Chile and Sweden. By bringing together experts from diverse fields—biology, medicine, sociology, pedagogy, economics, political science, design, and information technology—we envision a collaborative, inter- and transdisciplinary approach to developing solutions. Participants from at least three Chilean and three Swedish institutions will be involved, ensuring a rich academic environment with varied perspectives, including a gender-sensitive approach for inclusivity.
We expect participants to actively share their expertise and knowledge, contributing to the development of evidence-based strategies for preventing childhood obesity. This will involve discussions and decisions on plans for both short- and long-term solutions, with a focus on local, community-based models that can be implemented in real-world settings. The goal is to create actionable plans, informed by the best available evidence, while generating new insights specific to the context of Chile and Sweden.
To ensure concrete outcomes, participants will engage in online meetings before the ACCESS Forum, collaborating to define deliverables and refine strategies. This proactive approach will help align the group’s efforts and ensure sustained engagement beyond the workshop, with participants committed to contributing to ongoing research, proposal development, and policy recommendations. Ultimately, the collaborative work aims to generate a comprehensive, practical framework for tackling childhood obesity and inform future interventions.
Marcela Katherine Sjöberg Herrera, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Dr. Sjöberg is an Associate Professor and the Leader of the Epigenetic Regulation Group at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Her research focuses on mechanisms regulating genome function, immunogenomics, immunometabolism, obesity, and the microbiota. She is the principal investigator of the JAGUAR project.
Peter Bergsten, Uppsala University
Peter Bergsten is a medical doctor and Professor at the Departments of Medical Cell Biology and Women’s and Children’s Health at Uppsala University, Sweden. His research focuses on the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity. He is the Director of the “Turning the Tide of Obesity into Health” project.
CONTACT US:
Marcela: masjoberg@uc.cl
Peter: peter.bergsten@uu.se