Organization: Masters/PhD Course in Metabolic Diseases and Dietary Behaviour

On the 26th and 27th of June 2009 the II Prevention of Obesity Projects Forum was held in the Egas Moniz building of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon (FMUL). This forum was organized with the collaboration of the platform Against Obesity and the General-Directorate of Health, and had the contribution of the Ministry of Education and the Regional Health Administrations (ARS) from throughout the country. A hundred and ninety-one professionals were present, besides the authors of the conferences or communications.
The forum was opened under the presidency of the Director General of Health, Dr. Francisco George, and of Professor Daniel Sampaio, from the FMUL.
The event included the presence of two highly-renowned speakers:

• Professor Aila Rissanen, from the Helsinki Central Hospital;
• Professor Cynthia Ogden, from the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention, USA.

The first speaker gave a conference entitled Metabolic consequences of obesity: lessons from the Finn Twins. This study, which followed two monozygotic twins from the biochemical and clinical viewpoint, verifying the differences according to their behaviour, is an important instrument for debate in relation to genetic and environmental factors.

Obesity – tendencies

Professor Cynthia Ogden talked about the epidemiology of obesity in the USA: the current situation and tendencies. She showed the correlations or associations with age, ethic group, gender and social situation. She compared this with the Portuguese situation, showing that we have more pre-obesity and the population of the USA more obesity, but that tendency might be for us to reach the same level. The conference was moderated by Professor Isabel do Carmo from the FMUL and Dr. João Breda from the Platform.

Projects

On the morning of the 26th there was a description of projects taking place in five schools – Lisboa, Torres Vedras, Arraiolos, Alcácer do Sal and Coimbra.
The moderators were Professor Ana Rito, from the Platform, and Dr. Isabel Baptista, from the general-Directorate of Innovation and Curricular Development, and the commentators were Professor Luís Sardinha, President of the Portuguese Institute of Sport, and Dr. Rui Lima, from the Ministry of Education.

In the afternoon six regional health administrations (Portugal and Autonomous Regions) delivered communications about ongoing projects.
This was presided over by Dr. Emilia Nunes, from the General-Directorate of Health, and Dr. Rui Portugal, President of the Lisbon ARS. This was commented on by Dr. Leonor Sassetti, a specialist in paediatrics from the Lisbon Don Estefânia Hospital.

On Saturday 27th the Portuguese results of the European study on child pre-obesity and six projects by several entities and institutions were presented, particularly local councils and schools. The presentation was presided over by Professor Pedro Teixeira, from the faculty of Human Motricity, and commented on by the psychologists Dr. Maria João Fagundes, from Santa Maria Hospital (HSM), and Dr. Fátima Reis, from the General-Directorate of Health.

First Encounter with Obese and ex-Obese

On the afternoon of the 27th, in the University Stadium, there was the first encounter of obese and ex-obese, which brought together several self-organized therapy mutual help groups. Among these were the AFAGO (Association of Family and Friends of Obese Patients) and ECO (Exercise in Obesity Consultation) groups from the HSM obesity consultation unit. The latter exists in partnership with the Lusophone University (Department of Human Motricity).

One of the ideas presiding over this Project Forum is that of granting visibility to the very good work that exists in Portugal in this field, going against the negative view that is prevalent in the media, which it sells and lives by. In this forum one can see that doctors, higher technicians in health and teachers work and get things done, raising the academic standard of assessment, intervention and research. 

Isabel do Carmo
isabel.carmo@hsm.min-saude.pt
secretariadoheid@gmail.com
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(1) Organism created within the scope of the fight against obesity programme, able to make partnerships with other ministries, areas or private groups