Childhood obesity is one of the most pressing public health challenges affecting children and adolescents worldwide. The number of children living with overweight and obesity continues to increase, with major implications for long-term health, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic complications.
For paediatricians, obesity is rarely the result of a single factor. It is a complex condition influenced by genetics, environment, lifestyle, and social determinants, requiring coordinated prevention strategies and long-term clinical management.
Early intervention is essential. Promoting healthy nutrition, encouraging physical activity, and supporting families in building sustainable healthy habits are central to improving child health outcomes.
To support awareness and prevention efforts for World Obesity Day, the Federation of the International Societies of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (FISPGHAN) has created a dedicated resource hub with educational materials and campaign resources. Below is a sneak peek, with a few videos on key topics featuring EAP’s president, Prof. Berthold Koletzko.
Paediatricians play a crucial role in addressing childhood obesity through early identification, prevention, and long-term support for children and their families. Key elements of care include:
• Early identification and monitoring of growth patterns
• Family-centred lifestyle counselling
• Promotion of healthy dietary patterns and physical activity
• Supporting behavioural change within families
• Advocacy for healthier food environments and policies that support child health
Population-level measures are also essential. Clear front-of-pack nutrition labelling, for example, can help families quickly identify healthier food options and may encourage food producers to improve the nutritional quality of their products.
To continue this important discussion, the European Academy of Paediatrics will launch a three-part webinar series on childhood obesity as part of the EAP 2026 educational programme.
📅 First webinar: 23 April 2026
🎓 Series: Three sessions dedicated to childhood obesity
🔎 Topics will include clinical management, prevention strategies, and policy perspectives.
More details and registration information will be announced soon.
New ways to test high-risk medical devices.
Manufacturers of medical devices need to test their products before being allowed to market them. Specifically, they require clinical data showing their medical device is safe and efficient. In this context, the EU-funded CORE-MD project will translate expert scientific and clinical evidence on study designs for evaluating high-risk medical devices into advice for EU regulators. The project will propose how new trial designs can contribute and suggest ways to aggregate real-world data from medical device registries.
It will also conduct multidisciplinary workshops to propose a hierarchy of levels of evidence from clinical investigations, as well as educational and training objectives for all stakeholders, to build expertise in regulatory science in Europe. CORE–MD will translate expert scientific and clinical evidence on study designs for evaluating high-risk medical devices into advice for EU regulators, to achieve an appropriate balance between innovation, safety, and effectiveness. A unique collaboration between medical associations, regulatory agencies, notified bodies, academic institutions, patients’ groups, and health technology assessment agencies, will systematically review methodologies for the clinical investigation of high-risk medical devices, recommend how new trial designs can contribute, and advise on methods for aggregating real-world data from medical device registries with experience from clinical practice The consortium is led by the European Society of Cardiology and the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, and involves all 33 specialist medical associations that are members of the Biomedical Alliance in Europe.
