Social Sciences and Humanities' Contribution to Tackle the Obesity

Epidemic Workshop, 9th-10th of January 2013

Established in 1986, with networks in over 30 countries the leading European scientific- and practice-based professional membership association in obesity research field in formal relations with the WHO Regional Office for Europe is an active member of EU Commission initiatives including the EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health and the Joint Programing Initiative on Healthy Diet Healthy Lives.

EASO: Overview

EASO facilitates and engages in actions that prevent and combat the epidemic of obesity: It contributes to high level European and National scientific consultations, hosts the annual European Congress on Obesity (ECO), has dynamic and active topic specific Task Forces and Working Groups, and coordinates obesity education across Europe.

EASO: Overview

EASO is a federation of over 30 national obesity societies, formally representing more than 4,000 individuals and engaging with over 15,000 online community members.

EASO is therefore the voice of the European obesity community.

EASO: Overview (2)

The workshop on Social Sciences and Humanities contribution to tackle the Obesity Epidemic

Iniciated by:

• the Danish Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) research community

Organised by: • The European Association

for the Study of Obesity (EASO)

The Obesity epidemic is high on the political agenda – one of the ‘grand societal challenges’ – how can it be tackled?

Obesity is an issue which must be – and is - addressed by biomedical science: The causes, the health consequences and the potential cures of obesity has been in focus for many years within clinical and public health medicine.

Obesity is also an issue which must be – and to much lesser degree – is addressed by social science and the humanities.

The causes, the consequences and the potential cures of obesity are also social, political, economic, ethical and cultural matters.

Obesity needs to be analysed, conceptualised and understood within relevant research frameworks from social science and humanities.

This is increasingly realized among powerful stakeholders - the EU institutions, health policy authorities, the obesity research community etc.

SSH Workshop: The Reasoning

to prepare for EU’s forthcoming research program, Horizon 2020 to create a network of researchers in social sciences and humanities

with an interest in obesity research to create a forum for discussion which aims to influence the shaping

of future obesity research to facilitate the creation of new cross-European collaborations and

strengthen existing ones

SSH Workshop: The Aims

SSH researchers from various disciplines: Economics, anthropology, sociology, psychology, political sciences, philosophy, history, geographers, communication, Science-Technology Studies – and others.

Biomedical obesity researchers with specific interest and experience with collaborating with social science and humanities

Participants from the EU Commission

SSH Workshop: Who took a participation?

A series of presentations about SSH in obesity research. What are the hopes and expectations? The ideas? The views of

stakeholders interested in new approaches? Panel discussion with stakeholders Experiences from former EU projects Round table discussions

First round: brainstorming about themes Second round: deepening and structuring suggestions on the basis

of brainstorm. Opportunities for transdisciplinary research in Horizon 2020 Concluding remarks from EASO

SSH Workshop: The Format

To discuss the potentials in obesity research towards 2020 - focusing on scientific disciplines from the broad range of social sciences and humanities

Discuss the expected impact of the proposed research

Focus on the potential scientific collaboration partners which need to be involved to succeed with the research

Pinpoint potential stakeholders for the proposed research

Talk over the opportunities, the pitfalls and the barriers that nurture or stand in the way for the proposed research question

SSH Workshop: Group Discussion Aims

Theme 1: The obesity epidemic: costs, effects and consequences

Theme 2: Rethinking policy and interventions

Theme 3: Values and norms – blame and stigma from the citizens’ perspective

Theme 4: Dissemination of information: Power, knowledge and the citizen

Theme 5: Social structures, urban environment and choice architecture

Theme 6: Social inequality, the life course perspective and vulnerable groups

Theme 7: SSH within medical sciences: towards cross-disciplinary research

SSH Workshop: Group Discussion Themes

The concrete outcome of the workshop is an Executive Summary published 26th of February 2013

This will be followed by a Final Report end of March 2013

Both the Executive Summary and the Final Report are available via www.foodfitnesspharma.ku.dk/SSH

SSH Workshop: Executive Summary

Further information at www.easo.org

EASO: Find Out More

Further information at www.easo.org

EASO: Find Out More

Thank you for your attention Dana Mullerova The vice-president of the Czech Association for the Study of Obesity The representative of Preventive and Public Health Task Force of EASO

With thanks to Euan Woodward, Tommy Visscher, and Peter Børker Nielsen for help with this presentation