Childhood overweight and obesity are serious public health challenges worldwide. Obese children are at greater risk of developing conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and obesity in adulthood.
Since 2007, following the recommendations of the WHO European Ministerial Conference on Counteracting Obesity, the Italian Minister of Health has promoted and funded the National Nutritional Surveillance System called “OKkio alla SALUTE”. The objective of this is to obtain information on nutritional status by routine measurement of bodyweight, height and lifestyle behaviour among primary-school children. This surveillance is part of the Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, which enables comparisons to be made between countries within the European Region.
One objective of the monitoring of children’s weight is to increase the general awareness of the problem of overweight and obesity in primary school children and to promote interventions.
Prevention is recognized as the most efficient way to curb the obesity epidemic. In addition to the more traditional advice on increasing physical activity and nutritional/dietary advice, recent studies confirm that breastfeeding protects against childhood overweight and obesity.

WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI): (https://www.who.int/europe/initiatives/who-european-childhood-obesity-surveillance-initiative-(cosi) )
OKkio alla SALUTE: https://www.epicentro.iss.it/en/okkioallasalute/
Dissemination materials: https://www.epicentro.iss.it/okkioallasalute/Materiali 

EVENTS & TRAINING

The ISS WHO Collaborating Centre on Childhood Obesity provides training and events.

WHO/Europe training course on noncommunicable diseases 2022: surveillance, implementation and evaluation (https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/events/item/2022/04/01/default-calendar/who-europe-training-course-on-noncommunicable-diseases-2022--surveillance--implementation-and-evaluation-(introductory-page)#:~:text=The%20WHO%2FEurope%20training%20course,Noncommunicable%20Diseases%20(NCD%20Office).  ). October 2022 – March 2023