1ST GLOBAL CHILDHOOD OBESITY CONFERENCE
Collective Action.
Healthier Generations.
Turning the Tide on a Global Health Crisis.
Important Dates
About the Conference
The Global Conference will leverage Athens as a symbolic and practical platform to move beyond national examples toward a shared global agenda. It will gather political leaders, academic experts, media, civil society, private sector innovators, and youth leaders to forge synergies that can reshape the fight against childhood obesity.
Unlike traditional conferences, this convening will blend political momentum and academic rigor with youth engagement, private sector accountability, and global media reach. Through plenary sessions, high-level political roundtables and fireside chats, interactive academic workshops, and a dynamic marketplace of best practices, the conference will generate not only knowledge but also commitments, partnerships, and new coalitions.
The Conference is organised under the National Action Plan Against Childhood Obesity which is implemented by the Ministry of Health and UNICEF, as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan Greece 2.0, with funding from the European Union – NextGenerationEU
A Global Health Crisis
Childhood obesity has rapidly emerged as one of the most pressing global health challenges of our time. Over 390 million children and adolescents are currently overweight or obese, with numbers steadily rising across all regions, including low- and middle-income countries where undernutrition and obesity now coexist.
Obesity in early life is strongly linked to heightened risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, and certain cancers later in life. Equally concerning are the psychosocial impacts: children living with obesity often face stigma, bullying, lower educational attainment, and reduced social participation.
The UNICEF 2025 Nutrition Report highlights that no country is on track to meet the 2030 global nutrition targets related to overweight and obesity. In fact, between 2000 and 2020, the global prevalence of overweight in children under 5 years of age increased from 5.4% to 5.7%, while in school-aged children and adolescents (5–19 years), overweight and obesity rates rose from 10% to nearly 20%. These figures point to a disturbing trajectory unless urgent multisectoral action is taken.
The drivers of childhood obesity are complex and systemic. Unhealthy food environment, social and behavioral determinants, sedentary lifestyles driven by urbanization, increased screen time, limited access to safe play spaces, and reduced physical activity in schools along with structural inequalities further exacerbating risks.
UNICEF emphasizes that children’s right to health, as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, requires governments to act decisively to create enabling environments where healthy diets and active lifestyles are the default, not the exception. The global nutrition community increasingly agrees that combating childhood obesity is not only a public health imperative but also a child rights obligation.
Objectives
Political momentum
Secure renewed global commitment from heads of government, ministers, UN leadership, and partners.
Evidence and innovation
Share cutting-edge research, country experiences, and new solutions from academia, civil society, and the private sector.
Youth leadership
Amplify young voices as co-creators of strategies, especially in AI, digital engagement, and peer-driven change.
Private sector accountability & innovation
Engage industry leaders (digital, media, tech) in transparent dialogue, building pathways toward healthier environments.
Global knowledge exchange
Create a dynamic platform where policymakers, scientists, youth, and media can interact across disciplines.
Action-oriented outcome
Launch a global roadmap of political, academic, and societal commitments.
Conference Themes
Political Leadership
Political leadership and sustainable financing for obesity prevention.
Science of prevention
Data, evidence, and new frontiers in child obesity and related NCD research
Food systems and marketing regulation
Food systems and marketing regulation: the role of industry and policies.
Youth and digital innovation
AI, peer-to-peer engagement, and creative campaigning.
Education and community hubs
Education and community hubs: schools and neighborhoods as change agents.
Behavioral science
Behavioral science and communication: shifting norms through evidence-based campaigns.
Media as an ally
Media as an ally: shaping narratives, countering misinformation.
Global synergies
Aligning governments, UN, academia, philanthropy, and private sector.
Addressing inequalities
Tackling social, economic and geographic drivers on childhood obesity
Venue
The National Action Plan against Childhood Obesity in Greece
Childhood obesity has rapidly emerged as one of the most pressing global health challenges of our time. Over 390 million children and adolescents are currently overweight or obese, with numbers steadily rising across all regions, including low- and middle-income countries where undernutrition and obesity now coexist.
Obesity in early life is strongly linked to heightened risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, and certain cancers later in life. Equally concerning are the psychosocial impacts: children living with obesity often face stigma, bullying, lower educational attainment, and reduced social participation.
The UNICEF 2025 Nutrition Report highlights that no country is on track to meet the 2030 global nutrition targets related to overweight and obesity. In fact, between 2000 and 2020, the global prevalence of overweight in children under 5 years of age increased from 5.4% to 5.7%, while in school-aged children and adolescents (5–19 years), overweight and obesity rates rose from 10% to nearly 20%. These figures point to a disturbing trajectory unless urgent multisectoral action is taken.
The drivers of childhood obesity are complex and systemic. Unhealthy food environment, social and behavioral determinants, sedentary lifestyles driven by urbanization, increased screen time, limited access to safe play spaces, and reduced physical activity in schools along with structural inequalities further exacerbating risks.
UNICEF emphasizes that children’s right to health, as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, requires governments to act decisively to create enabling environments where healthy diets and active lifestyles are the default, not the exception. The global nutrition community increasingly agrees that combating childhood obesity is not only a public health imperative but also a child rights obligation.
Contact
For any requests or questions regarding the Conference, please send an email to [email protected] and our team will contact you.
The National Action Against Childhood Obesity is implemented by the Ministry of Health, in partnership with UNICEF, under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan Greece 2.0, with funding from the European Union – NextGenerationEU.