MEPs for Action on Obesity is officially launched!

by MEPs for Action on Obesity | Nov 30, 2025

A group of people pose and smile for a photo in a conference room with wood panelling and desks. A banner in the background displays the words “Action on Obesity.” Some people wear business attire and name badges.

Brussels, 4 November 2025

Members of the European Parliament officially launched the new informal interest group “MEPs for Action on Obesity” during a well-attended event – “Obesity and Health: A New Parliamentary Vision”. This launch is a significant step in driving forward EU level action on obesity.

MEPs for Action on Obesity convenes MEPs across political groups who have an interest in elevating obesity as a priority on the EU public health and policy agenda. It aims to become the leading forum for MEPs to discuss the importance of recognising obesity as a health and societal priority.

Chaired by MEP Romana Jerković, the launch event brought together MEPs, health experts and patients to discuss how the EU can take stronger, more coordinated action to address obesity. During her introductory remarks, she presented the vision of the interest group: to serve as a cross-party, cross-country initiative committed to improving policy understanding and responses to obesity and its health impacts.

“Obesity remains largely absent from our health agenda. There is no dedicated plan and few opportunities for Member States to act. There are strategies for rare diseases, cancers and soon for CVDs, but not obesity. We must join forces to change this!” – MEP Romana Jerković

A woman with long brown hair and glasses speaks whilst seated at a table in front of a banner that reads "MEPs for Action on Obesity." She wears a tan jacket and gestures with her hands.

These calls were echoed by the co-Chair of the group, MEP Michalis Hadjipantela.

“Despite its severity, obesity is overlooked on the EU agenda when it is a multifactorial disease that deserves its own focus. We need to foster dialogue among policymakers, patients, researchers, scientists and healthcare providers.” – MEP Michalis Hadjipantela

A man in a suit and tie sits at a conference table with a microphone and nameplate reading "MEP Michalis Hadjipantela." A perforated wooden panel is visible in the background.

A collaborative start for action on obesity

Following the introductions, members of the group, including MEP Nikos Papandreou, MEP Manuela Ripa, MEP Emmanouil Kefalogiannis, MEP Francesco Torselli and MEP Margarite de la Pisa Carrión, each took the floor to outline their perspectives and priorities. Their interventions reflected the shared understanding that obesity requires a comprehensive approach, addressing social, economic, and environmental determinants of health.

“One specific area I would like to focus on is youth and childhood obesity. 1 in 3 children in Europe are living with overweight or obesity, and these youth have a high risk of developing other diseases including 13 different types of cancer. This risk is preventable and we must take action!” – MEP Manuela Ripa

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“The worst thing we can do is think that obesity is a choice. Obesity is a disease and is a gateway for other important diseases. We need to take action.” – MEP Francesco Torselli

“Obesity is a multidisciplinary problem. It impacts many aspects of life. Not just health, but also culture, family, and values.” – MEP Margarita de la Pisa Carrión

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“Personally, I find it of vital importance to challenge the myths that fuel stigma on obesity. In my home country of Greece, despite our celebrated Mediterranean diet, WHO data show Greece among Europe’s highest for childhood obesity, proving obesity is not explicitly linked to diet, nor a failure of will power but a chronic, multifactorial condition. The EU’s response must be evidence-based and stigma-free, so no one bears a double burden.” – MEP Nikos Papandreou

“Obesity is a shared public health challenge that requires coordinated action at EU level. Coming from Crete, where the Mediterranean diet is a model of balanced nutrition, I believe Europe can draw on successful traditions to promote healthier lifestyles. Through MEPs for Action on Obesity, I support evidence-based prevention and policies that make healthy choices accessible to all.” – MEP Emmanouil Kefalogiannis

There are several members of the group that were not able to attend the event in person, but they have all shared their motivations for joining the group.

“I decided to join MEPs for Action on Obesity because I see every day how deeply this issue affects people’s lives — not only their health, but their dignity and opportunities. For me, this is about fairness and leaving no one behind. No one should suffer worse health outcomes because they were born into a low-income family or face constant exposure to unhealthy marketing.” – MEP Marta Temido

“As a doctor and policymaker, I am committed to strengthening public health. Many diseases start with obesity, and by encouraging healthy lifestyles, we can prevent illness and improve quality of life for all Europeans.” – MEP Aurelijus Veryga

“One year after my interpellation of Olivér Várhelyi, who pledged to integrate obesity into the cardiovascular strategy, I am joining the MEPs for Action on Obesity. For concrete actions on prevention, improved nutrition education, promoting sport at all ages, and strengthening mental health care. So that the EU can finally address overweight and obesity and save millions of European lives.” – MEP Laurent Castillo

“I am joining this intergroup because I have seen, as Mayor of Florence and now as an MEP, how urgent the fight against obesity has become, especially for our youngest citizens.” – MEP Dario Nardella

“Mental health is an important issue for me, and psychological factors also influence obesity—for example, loneliness, failure, loss of a partner or job, or depression. It is important to me that Obesity is viewed holistically, which is why I would like to participate in this group.” – MEP Sebastian Everding

Patient voices and expert perspectives

MEPs for Action on Obesity aims to offer a collaborative forum to convene discussions between MEPs, patients and experts. The launch event featured a powerful intervention from Mari-Mette Graff, representing the European Coalition for People Living with Obesity (ECPO) on the lived experience of people living with obesity and the urgent need to ensure that patient voices are meaningfully included in EU policymaking.

“You can live a happy and healthy life living with obesity, but this depends on the help and care that people living with obesity experience when it comes to managing the disease and related health problems.” – Mari-Mette Graff

Jennifer Baker, President-elect of the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), then underlined the necessity of a strong EU policy response. She called for obesity to be recognised as a gateway condition within the upcoming EU Cardiovascular Health Plan, noting the growing evidence base linking obesity prevention to reduced NCD burden.

“You can live a happy and healthy life living with obesity, but this depends on the help and care that people living with obesity experience when it comes to managing the disease and related health problems.” – Mari-Mette Graff

A woman with long brown hair and glasses speaks while gesturing with her hands at a conference table. She is wearing a black blazer and sits in front of a microphone and an orange tablet.

Learning from national examples

While coordinated EU level action on obesity is important, several Member States have already taken positive actions to address obesity at the national level. The event featured insights from Karen Gaynor from the Association for the Study of Obesity in Ireland, and Georgia Colleluor, Assistant Professor at the Marche Polytechnic University, who presented case studies from Ireland and Italy. Both highlighted the essential role of collaboration between policymakers, scientific experts and people living with obesity in achieving positive policy outcomes

“The key to political engagement is education. There is a legacy of incorrect understanding of obesity and a high prevalence of obesity stigma and bias. The most common misunderstanding we’ve encountered is the confusion between prevention and treatment and the belief that eating less and moving more is a treatment.” – Karen Gaynor

“Lack of recognition of obesity as a disease fuels weight stigma, creates barriers to accessing care and leads to suboptimal management and inadequate prevention strategies. These challenges inspired many of the actions included in the new Italian law, which is the result of years of coordinated efforts not only legislative, but also scientific and awareness initiatives, made possible through the close collaboration of scientific societies, policymakers, and patient advocates.” – Dr. Georgia Colleluori

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Towards a stronger EU response

In all, the event reiterated the group’s ambition to serve as a driving force for EU-level collaboration, awareness and policy coherence on obesity. We look forward to continuing these important discussions throughout the rest of this mandate.

About MEPs for Action on Obesity

MEPs for Action on Obesity brings together Members of the European Parliament committed to addressing obesity as a health and societal priority. The group aims to promote a better understanding of obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease, strengthen EU policy coherence, and encourage evidence-based actions to improve prevention, care, and quality of life for people living with obesity across Europe.
The Secretariat of the group is supported by the European Association for the Study of Obesity.