The WHO Director-General established the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) in June 2014 to raise awareness and trigger action to address childhood obesity. ECHO is tasked to review, build upon and address gaps in existing WHO mandates/strategies in the areas of noncommunicable diseases, healthy diets and physical activity, and maternal, infant and young child nutrition.
In this context, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, in collaboration with WHO headquarters, held a regional consultation on 2–3 July in Cairo, Egypt. The objectives of the consultation were to:
- present the current situation of childhood overweight and obesity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region;
- review recommendations from the Commission; and
- provide regional feedback and perspective to the recommendations of the Commission.