Ponentes
Director General of Public Health (Ministry of Health Spain)
Education (name of degree or studies):
Degree of Medicine, Medical Doctor (phD), Specialization in Internal Medicine (MIR)
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Throughout her professional career, she has carried out different tasks in clinical-care areas (University Hospital of Mostoles in Madrid, Hospital Teodoro Álvarez, in Buenos Aires, Argentina); research applied to the epidemiology of infectious diseases (National Center for Microbiology of the ISCIII and Central Public Health Laboratory of England), teaching and activities related to international public health and technical scientific cooperation, aimed at strengthening public health systems and control of communicable diseases World Health Organization (WHO) and National Center of Tropical Medicine of ISCIII in different countries of Latin America and Africa.
Director General for Digital Society. Catalan Government
Education (name of degree or studies):
Degree and PhD in Sociology, specialist in Digital Social Innovation
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
She has been Head of Innovation in the Digital Technology Societies division at the i2cat Foundation and a researcher at the Institute for Social Innovation, Esade. Her background is in research, teaching and popularisation. She has been a member of research teams in projects in various areas of Sociology and led the chapter on children in the Government of Catalonia’s Charter for Digital Rights and Responsibilities. She has also been a member of several advisory boards in cultural and third sector organisations and has a decade of experience as an independent consultant.
Other merits related to the activity:
She has contributed to media outlets including Ara, El Periódico and El País and to programmes on RAC1 and TV3. She has also brought out the essay Tu no ets la teva selfie. 9 secrets digitals que tothom viu i ningú explica (You are not your selfie. Nine digital secrets that everyone knows and no one explains) and recently the book Benvingut metavers? (Welcome metaverse?) on the value of presence in the digital era.
Social network profile:
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/lilianaarroyomoliner
Full Professor. University of Castilla-La Mancha
Education (name of degree or studies):
Susana has been lucky to be brought up in a family who always enjoyed physical activity in the Pyrenean mountains.
She has a Degree in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences at INEFC-Lleida, University of Barcelona. Master in Exercise and Health at Bristol University (UK) and PhD in Environmental influences on children physical activity to prevent cardiovascular risk factors, at Bristol University (UK).
Currently, she is a full-professor in Physical Activity and Health at Faculty of Sports Sciences at the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM) where she is the director of the research group: Physical activity Promotion for Health (https://grupopafs.com/?page_id=5299&lang=en) From 2017 she is deputy director of the Department in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences at the UCLM.
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Expert in the objectively and subjectively physical activity assessment and, fitness levels assessment in children and youth. Her research focuses on children obesity and physical activity, physical activity determinants and, physical activity promotion strategies.
Strategies designs are based on Ecological and Behavioral Change models. Some of her work has been done with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health publishing National guides in physical activity.
To promote physical activity in the family: (https://www.sanidad.gob.es/areas/promocionPrevencion/actividadFisica
/guiaPadresMadres/home.htm )
To promote physical activity in adolescents through their socioenvironmental influences: (https://www.sanidad.gob.es/areas/promocionPrevencion/actividadFisica
/guiaInfanciaAdolescencia/home.htm )
To promote active comuting to school https://www.sanidad.gob.es/areas/promocionPrevencion
/entornosSaludables/local/estrategia/herramientas/Guia_PacoyPaca.htm
And to promote active healthy routes in the comunity (https://www.sanidad.gob.es/areas/promocionPrevencion
/entornosSaludables/local/estrategia/herramientas/rutasSaludables.htm )
Currently working on a national project on children and physical activity, obesity and related lifestyle behaviour (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32967871) and, leading a national and a regional research projects promoting active commuting to school (https://grupopafs.com/?page_id=5381&lang=en).
Recently, research is focused on the physical and psicosocial determinants of children´s physival activity behaviour, looking at walkability environments
Other merits related to the activity:
She has taken part in several European Research projects (European Youth Heart Study (EYHS), Kids in Motion (KIM)).
She is a member of the CIBERfes (Ciber in Frailty and healthy Aging), Carlos III Institute of Health) network. Susana is an expert skier and greatly enjoys cycling, mountaineering and physical activity in the outdoors.
Social Network Profile:
Twitter: @grupoPAFS
Senior Researcher. Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, University of Copenhagen Hospital-Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg
Education (name of degree or studies):
Ph.D., Nutrition, Cornell University, USA (2003)
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Dr. Baker is a Senior Researcher and the Head of Research on Lifecourse Epidemiology at the Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Copenhagen University Hospital system, in Denmark.
Her research program investigates how body size and growth during childhood in combination with other exposures across the lifecourse relate to disease.
Dr. Baker’s work has a focus on short and long-term effects of overweight and obesity in children using large cohort studies, clinical databases, and nationwide registers She and her group have shown that a higher body mass index in childhood increases the risk during adulthood of numerous non-communicable diseases including nine types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes among others.
Her group investigates how change in body size across the lifecourse relates to later disease. Further, her work examines intergenerational effects on obesity and disease.
She has published more than 150 peer-reviewed publications in addition to book chapters and other works. Her research program has received funding from the Danish Medical Research Council, the European Union, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the NIH (USA) and the World Cancer Research Fund.
Other merits related to the activity:
Dr. Baker is the co-chair for the European Association for the Study of Obesity Childhood Obesity Working Group. She is a frequent instructor in EASO masterclasses and workshops across Europe on advances in the prevention, treatment, and consequences of obesity in children.
She is active with the policy branch of EASO and regularly shares her expertise with the use of big data in pediatric obesity research with the MEP Interest Group on Obesity & Health System Resilience and other organizations through talks and participation in panels. Dr. Baker serves on numerous international expert and scientific committees on topics in relation to obesity in children.
Social network profile:
Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-baker-906907200/
Head of Policy. European Association for the Study of Obesity
Education (name of degree or studies):
LLB Hons (English Law and French Law), International MBA
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Ms Jacqueline Bowman-Busato is Head of Policy at EASO (European Association for the Study of Obesity) in Brussels. She has worked in the Brussels environment since 1995 towards transforming health ecosystems from policy to reality.
A pioneer of multi-stakeholder coalition building for societal impact, Jacqueline has previously worked for an MEP, ran the expert secretariat of a European Parliamentarian Interest Group, headed up the Brussels office of a global NGO, transformed a patient-led platform into an equally-weighted multi-stakeholder think tank for patients, science and industry.
She strongly believes in empowering all actors to be effective and engaged in optimising health ecosystems for health outcomes relevant to all actors across sectors through evidence-based policies.
Jacqueline holds degrees in English Law, French Law, Strategic Communications and an MBA. She’s a Guyanese born dual British-Belgian national, speaks fluent French and has a very good passive understanding of Dutch.
Other merits related to the activity:
Jacqueline is an Expert (Consumers and Citizens) in her personal capacity at teh European Medicines Agency.
Social network profile:
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbowmanstakeholderengagement?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
European Childhood Obesity Group (ECOG). Ful Professor (Ghent University)
Education (name of degree or studies):
Caroline Braet obtained her MD in Psychology at Ghent University (specialisation: Clinical Psychology) in 1984 (magna cum laude), her MD in Teaching (Lerarenopleiding) (magna cum laude) in 1985 and her PhD in Psychology in 1993 (magna cum laude). She further obtained at UGent Certificates of Postgraduate Specialisation in Developmental Psychology (1985-1987), and in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (1987-1990).
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity)
Research: Researching developmental psychopathology and child psychotherapy with focus on transdiagnostic mechanisms (information processing, learning processes, emotion regulation, biological interactions) within a diathesis-stress perspective. Currently, the lab consists of 31 members. She acquired >44 granted research projects, resulting in 25 finished and 6 ongoing PhD’s and >250 A1 peer reviewed publications. These papers were currently cited > 6700 times (h-index = 45, ISI). She was selected as expert in the review board of the Ghent University Research Council between 2013-2018. See also: https://pp07sv02.ugent.be/en/clinical-developmental-psychology.html Or: the biblio of Braet can be consulted, see: https://biblio.ugent.be/person/801000597821/bof Or: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2458-287X; Or: contact email: Caroline.Braet@ugent.be 3 main publications with high impact: ? Braet C, & Beyers W (2009). Defining subtypes in children and adolescents who are overweight: Differences in symptomatology and treatment outcomes. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77, 814-824. (impact SCI 4.461).
Other merits related to the activity:
Outside Belgium, because of her expertise, Braet is often involved as reviewer for >30 different journals, as well as (past) associated editor for the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology and Frontiers in Psychology. She’s also invited several times a year, for more than 20 years to review scientific projects. For example, she was in the board of 154 doctoral theses (81 of them in Ghent) for Faculties of Psychology, Medicine, Economy and Food Engeneering. She reviewed projects on request of National Institutes of other countries like the Netherlands (NWO, ZONmw), Standford Grant, Swiss SNFS, West-Australia and wrote evaluations for Universities like Alabama, Chicago, Maryland, London, and several Dutch Universities. She was involved in the research visits of the Dutch Universities in 2021. Braet has joint projects with a large network of US experts, Australian, UK, Dutch, Austria and German colleagues. She gave many guest lectures. She is member of several European associations (e.g. European Child Obesity Group, European Association for Behavior Therapy, the COST-CA16102 European Network) and the Eating Disorder Research Society. She is awarded as honorary member of the Italian Association for Behavior Therapists (2004 -) and the Dutch Association for Behavior Therapists (2013 - ). Braet presented on more than 100 international conferences as presenter, key-note or as chair/organizer (list available for 1990-2000 ; 2000-2010; 2010-2020). Interdisciplinary knowledge has also lead to different international invitations as jury member, (guest) editorships, keynotes, and several European Projects (four chapters in a European ebook on childhood obesity (see: https://ebook.ecog-obesity.eu/) (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish and Italian translations), a SCOPE/ECOG learning path with webinars on childhood obesity in different languages, several submitted and one accepted H2020 research project: https://www.ccoproject.eu/)
Director, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, World Health Organization (WHO), Switzerland
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Francesco Branca is the Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food safety in the World Health Organization, Geneva (since February 2020).
From 2008 to 2019, he was the Director of the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development. During this period, WHO has developed a WHO Nutrition strategy, established a new nutrition guideline development process and has developed a Comprehensive Implementation Plan on Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition with six global targets. He has been leading the preparation of the 2nd International Conference on Nutrition and the Secretariat of the Decade of Action on Nutrition. Before that, in 2005-2008, Dr Branca was the Regional Advisor for Nutrition at the WHO Regional Office for Europe.
Between 1988 and 2005, he has been a Senior Scientist at the Italian Food and Nutrition research Institute where he was leading studies on the effects of food and nutrients on human health at the different stages of the life cycle and on the impact of public health nutrition programmes. He has been President of the Federation of the European Nutrition Societies in 2003-2007.
In 1985-1986, Dr Branca has been a medical staff of a Primary Health Care project in the South of Somalia ran by the Italian NGO, CISP
Dr Branca graduated in Medicine and Surgery and specialized in Diabetology and Metabolic Diseases at the Universita' Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma and obtained a Msc and then a PhD in Nutrition at AberdeenUniversity.
Seedo Exercise Group Coordinator. Obesity Managemente School
Education (name of degree or studies):
Master in International Business Administration and Management. MBA International Executive. Polytechnic University of Madrid (2016/2017).Doctor Cum Laude in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences. Polytechnic University of Madrid (2015).
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Coordinator of the Working Group on Physical Exercise and Obesity in the Spanish Society for the Study of Obesity. Founder of Obesity Management School (Sep 2017). The first online school with courses to learn how to manage obesity from all areas of health.
Other merits related to the activity:
"Author of the 'Guidelines for the Design of Intervention Programs for the Obese Population. Position Paper of the Physical Exercise Group of the Spanish Society for the Study of Obesity (SEEDO)."
Social Network Profile:
Twitter: @javierbutra
Marie Curie Postdoctoral Researcher. Stanford University & University of Granada
Education (name of degree or studies):
PhD Biomedicine. University of Granada. Spain Master on Research on Physical Activity and Sport. University of Granada. Spain Degree in Sport Sciences. University of Granada. Spain Degree in Teaching in Physical Education. University of Granada. Spain
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez is a distinguished Marie Curie postdoctoral researcher affiliated with both Stanford University in the United States and the University of Granada in Spain. With a remarkable publication record of over 120 scientific articles, her research primarily focuses on investigating the effects of physical activity interventions on brain health, different fat depots, and cardiometabolic health in children with overweight/obesity. She leads the PREFIT-UP project, examining the predictive role of preschool-age physical fitness on future cardiometabolic and mental health in adolescence. Additionally, she is leading the "Every move counts: the role of exercise on childhood obesity prevention" initiative. Actively participating in the exercise and childhood obesity group within the Spanish Society for the Study of Obesity and as an early career member of the European Association for the Study of Obesity, she showcases a dedication to advancing knowledge and preventive efforts in the field of childhood obesity.
Other merits related to the activity:
2023. Among the top-worldwide experts on pediatric obesity (top-28), physical fitness (top-14), and cardiorespiratory fitness (top-15).
2023. Selected as young investigator in the 72nd Nobel Laureates Meeting, Lindau, Germany
2023. New Investigator Award in Childhood Obesity. European Association for the Study of Obesity.
2023. Best young researcher in Life Science. Granada City Hall. Spain
2022. Second prize for “Breaking the wall of childhood obesity” at Fallings Walls Lab Spain. Madrid.
2022. Public Award for “Breaking the wall of childhood obesity” at Fallings Walls Lab Spain. Madrid.
2021.Best project on health at Sciencetkaitza international contest.
Social Network Profile:
Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristina-cadenas-sanchez-491489192/en
Twitter: @CCadenasSanchez
Spanish medical epidemiologist and politician
Education (name of degree or studies):
PhD in Economics (University of Granada)
Master's Degree in Public Health and Health Management
Master's Degree in Health Economics and Medicine (Universitat Pompeu Fabra)
Specialization Diploma in Gender and Health (University of Granada-Andalusian School of Public Health)
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Head of the State Secretariat for Health
Her research work is mainly linked to the study of social inequalities in health.
As specialist in Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Mrs. Calzón worked as a Primary Care Epidemiologist in the Andalusian Health Service.
In terms of health management, Mrs. Calzón has lead the Areas of South of Cordoba and South of Seville of the Andalusian Health Service.
Social network profile:
Twitter: @silvia_calzon
European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
Education (name of degree or studies):
Degree in History of Art
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Head of the UGT Office in Brussels.
EESC member since 2009
Former EESC Vice-President for Communication (2018-2020).
Other merits related to the activity:
Co-rapporteur of the EESC's exploitative opinion "Measures to reduce child obesity", at the request of the Spanish Presidency.
Delegation to the United Nations High Level Forum on the SDGs (2016/2017).
Vice-President of the Sustainable Development Observatory of the European Economic and Social Committee.
Rapporteur for the E-health and M-health opinions.
Social network profile:
Twitter:Isbl@Cano
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Director of the National Epidemiology Centre. Carlos III Health Institute
Education (name of degree or studies):
Degree in Medicine and Surgery. (University of Granada) Specialty in Family and Community Medicine Master's Degree in Research and Advances in Preventive Medicine and Health Public. Master in Health Care Management
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Work as a family doctor, urban and rural areas.
Head of Clinical Management
Medical Subdirectorate Virgen de las Nieves Hospital (Granada)
Direction of health care and public health. Area III (Asturias)
General direction quality, transformation and knowledge management. Ministry of Health of Asturias
Director of the National Epidemiology Centre, Carlos III Health Institute
Other merits related to the activity:
Specialization Diploma in Health Promotion in Health Contexts, Educational and social
Social network profile:
Twitter: @DadaCero
Nutrition Specialist. UNICEF
Education (name of degree or studies):
Master of Nutrition and Dietetics Deakin University, Melbourne Australia
Master of Public Health, Monash University, Melbourne Australia
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
10+ years working in Australia in community health on prevention of overweight and obesity
10 years with UNICEF in roles such as Nutrition manager in Lao PDR, Chief of Nutrition
Section with UNICEF Nepal Country office and currently Nutrition Specialist with Europe and Central Asia Regional office.
Other merits related to the activity:
Have a mix of experience as a clinician working directly with children and adults living with overweight and obesity and non-communicable diseases and as a public health nutritionist supporting governments to strengthen policies, legislation and services for children, adolescents and women in the field of nutrition.
Policy lead on Obesity in the Health and Wellbeing Unit. Department of Health, Ireland
Education (name of degree or studies):
Master of Public Administration
Degree in History
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Catherine is a career civil servant with over 25 years' experience in policy development across a number of Government Departments, including the Departments of Finance, Foreign Affairs and Research & Innovation. Catherine joined the Health and Wellbeing team in the Department of Health in 2022 and is national policy lead on Obesity, with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of Ireland's Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016-2025 and overseeing the development of the next Plan.
Mayoress, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Hall
Education (name of degree or studies):
Degree in Law from the University of La Laguna.
Career civil servant of the Public Administration of the Canary Islands (Senior Corps of General Administrators).
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
From May 2023 she is the Mayoress of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Minister of Health of the Government of Spain (2021-2023)
Minister of Territorial Policy and Public Function of the Government of Spain (2020)
Member of the Parliament of the Canary Islands for Gran Canaria and in the constitutive session of the IX Legislature she is elected President of the Chamber (2015).
Delegate of the Spanish Government in the Canary Islands (2008).
Member of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, holding the position of spokesperson in the Health Commission (2007).
Subdelegate of the Government in the province of Las Palmas de Gran Canarias (2004).
Worked in the Department of Industry, Commerce and Consumption (1990-1999) and in Budget Management in the General Technical Secretariat. Department of Industry, Commerce and Consumption, department to which she is still attached.
Other merits related to the activity:
During her term as mayor, the nursery schools dependent on the City Council are carrying out the canteen service with an educational character that includes the prevention of diabetes and childhood obesity through actions aimed at the intake and training families in healthy habits.
The city joined the Nereu Program, which bases its effectiveness on medical prescription of physical exercise and healthy eating for children. overweight and obese children and their families, a pioneer in Spain, and the Patios Abiertos en Plan Bien program.
Social network profile:
@carolinadarias
Director general of public health, Balearic Islands
Education (name of degree or studies):
Sep. 1987 - Jun. 1993. Degree in Medicine and Surgery SEP
Jul. 2007.Official title of Medical Specialist in Family and Community Medicine.
Oct. 19. Postgraduate specialization: Evaluation of body damage and medical disabilities.
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Family Doctor in Primary Care Team with permanent appointment by competitive examination since February 24, 2011.
Director of the Pere Garau Basic Health Zone from December 2008 to March 2023.
Deputy Medical Director of Primary Care Management of the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare of the Balearic Islands from May 2013 to August 2015.
Currently General Director of Public Health of the Conselleria de Salut del Govern de les Illes Balears.
DIRECTOR OF EATING DIS. UNIT/ SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR/ FULL PROFESSORBELLVITGE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL/ IDIBELL/ UNIVERSITY OF BARCELONA
Education (name of degree or studies):
He obtained his BP in Psychology in 1990 at the University of Barcelona and his PhD in Psychology in 1996 at the University of Hamburg (Germany). Specialist in Clinical Psychology. His previous appointments were as a Clinical Psychologist at the Psychiatric Eppendorf University Hospital of Hamburg (1994-1995), long-term predoctoral Research Fellowship in Hannover, Germany (1992-1993). Visiting Professor at the UNC (2005) and McGill University (Montreal, Canada) (2009/ 2015).
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Full Professor (School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Spain), he has been the Director of the Eating Disorders (ED) Unit at the Clinical Psychology Department (University Hospital Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain), current Scientific Director of Research Institute IDIBELL, Vicedirector of CIBERobn (Excellence Spanish Research Network for Obesity and Nutrition), co-Head of Research Group CIBERobn and co-Head of Group Psychoneurobiology of Eating and Addictive Behaviours (IDIBELL).
Other merits related to the activity:
He is former president of the Eating Disorders Research Society (EDRS) and current co-Chair of the ED Section of the World Psychiatric Association. More than 450 invited nationa/international lectures. Current active international projects on Obesity and related diseases: Eat2benice (728018) (PI), PRIME (847879)(PI), COST (CA19115)(PI) and more recently eprObes (Ref 101080219-2)(co-Coordinator) specifically on Obesity, developmental and risk factors. More than 480 publications on ED, Obesity and related diseases. Awarded with the Meehan Hartley Award for Public Service and/or Advocacy-2004, leadership Research Award-2015, and Hilde Bruch Lecture Award-2017.
Social network profile:
Orcid: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2968-9898/ https://www.ciberobn.es/en/groups/research-group?id=2161
Research Professor. Universities of Alcalá, Madrid and Jophns Hopkins, Baltimore
Education (name of degree or studies):
Manuel Franco trained in Medicine both in Madrid and Berlin. As a Fulbright Scholar he joined the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology to obtain his PhD and Post-Doctoral fellowship in the fields of social epidemiology and urban health.
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
His work focuses on the social and urban epidemiology and prevention of chronic diseases and major risk factors as childhood obesity. He has published 144 international peer reviewed articles and has led research studies including several on childhood obesity prevention.
Other merits related to the activity:
Manuel Franco is very much interested in the dissemination of public health research participating in national and international media. He writes an Urban Health column in El País https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/la-salud-va-por-barrios/
Social Network Profile:
@mfranco_uah
Head, Healthy lifestyle unit. National Institute of Public Health Slovenia
Education (name of degree or studies):
Mojca Gabrijelčič Blenkuš is medical doctor (trained at the Medical Faculty, University of Ljubljana) by basic education, specialist in public health (degree at the Ministry of Health Slovenia), with PhD in social sciences (Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
She is mostly involved in policy and programme development and in research projects, as the national coordinator for several nutrition and obesity EU projects. She was coordinating the background processes for the development of the first (2005-2010) and the second (2015-2025) Nutrition and Physical activity action plans for Slovenia.
She has coordinated the Joint Action Best-ReMaP which has terminated end September 2023 and she’ll be the coordinator of the Policy Sustainability Work Package in the JA-PreventNCD from January 2024 on. Her main areas of expertise are theory of health promotion, health in all policies and wellbeing economy, national, WHO and EU strategies and policies; nutrition, physical activity and obesity, active and healthy aging; health inequalities at the national, EU and WHO levels; digitalization of life and digital marketing; , and evaluation in health promotion.
Mojca was heading the Health Promotion Centre at the NIPH Slovenia for seven years, heading the Health Research and Health Development Centre in the Covid management crisis and she’s currently heading the Healthy Lifestyle Unit at the National Institute of Public Health. She’s teaching health promotion as the Assist. Prof. at the Medical Faculty, University of Ljubljana.
She’s nominated as the WHO national counterpart for nutrition since 2000 and participate actively in WHO nutrition networks At the EU level, she participated in the work of HLG on nutrition and physical activity 2003 – 2020. She was the President of the EurohealthNet Executive Board (2018-2022) and acts as the Honorary Advisor to the Board at present. She’s also the President of the Slovene Public Health Expert Council since 2017.
Other merits related to the activity:
Senior tutor for specialization of public health for residents in public health, since 2010
Honored advisor in public health to the Ministry of Health since 2015
Vice-president of the Slovene Clinical Nutrition Society 2016-2020
Coordinator. Science Media Centre España
Education (name of degree or studies):
Master's degree in Science Journalism from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Bachelor's degree in Physics from Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Science journalist, coordinator of the Science Media Centre Spain since 2022 and before that, of the SINC agency from 2011 to 2022.
Social network profile:
Twitter: @pampanilla
High Commissioner against Child Poverty. Presidency of the Spanish Goverment
Education (name of degree or studies):
Degree in Geography and History from the Autonomous University of Madrid. Conducted research from 1991-1995 with a grant from the Basque Governmen
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Former Councillor and Deputy Mayor of San Sebastian City Council.
Deputy Minister in the Basque Government and Member of Congress.
High Commissioner against Child Poverty since 2020
Other merits related to the activity:
High commissioner aims to foster policies and social partnerships that reduce child poverty and promote the full enjoyment of children's rights. Led the creation of the National Strategic Plan for the Reduction of Childhood Obesity. Liaised with ministries,civil society organisations, foundations, business associations and the scientific community in its development.
Social network profile:
@gasco63
President, Gasol Foundation, Gasol 16 Ventures
Education (name of degree or studies):
Degree in Medicine, University of Barcelona. (First course. 1998-99) Executive Programme in The Business of Entertainment, Media and Sports, Harvard University Business School (2016)
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Co-founder and President, Gasol Foundation (2013- actually)
Professional Basketball Player (2001-2021)
President, Gasol16 Ventures (2023-actually)
Other merits related to the activity:
Global Champion for Nutrition and Zero Childhoold Obesity, UNICEF (2019-) IOC Athletes Commission Member (2021-)
Social Network Profile:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paugasolsae
Global Director of Research and Programs. Gasol Fundation
Education (name of degree or studies):
Degree in Psychology
Master in Health and Community Welfare
Master in Public Health PhD in Biomedicine
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Research officer- Public Health Agency of Barcelona
Research and Programs Manager - Thao Foundation
Research coordinator - Public Health Agency of Catalonia
Associate professor - University of Lleida
Collaborator professor - Pompeu Fabra University.
Global Director of Research and Programs - Gasol Foundation
Other merits related to the activity:
More than 40 scientific papers published on high impact journals.
5 relevant scientific and advocacy reports published.
1 book about health education programming.
Principal Investigator of the PASOS study, a nationwide representative study referent on childhood obesity field for Spanish children and adolescents aged 8 to 16 years old.
Principal Investigator of 5 randomized controlled trials about childhood obesity prevention and lifestyles promotion programs.
Co-director of 4 PhD thesis.
Social Network Profile:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/santiagogomezsantos/
Twitter: @SantiGomez_SF
Professor and Vice Chair for Research, Dept of Pediatrics. Children's Hospital Los Angeles and University of Southern California
PhD, Biochemistry, University of Manchester, UK (1986)
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Dr Michael Goran is Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Pediatrics and Program Director for Nutrition and Obesity at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, USC. His research on infant and childhood nutrition has been continuously funded by the NIH for over 35y, and he has published over 400 peer-reviewed articles. His research program has investigated the causes and consequences of childhood obesity with a particular emphasis on critical periods of obesity development across the lifecourse, as well as ethnic disparities in Latinos and Blacks. His research has examined ethnic differences in metabolic outcomes arising from obesity in children, including Type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. In addition, he has led various NIH funded intervention studies to improve obesity and metabolic outcomes in obese Latino children and adolescents through randomized clinical trials in different populations of children affected by obesity and related metabolic complications. More recently, his research has extended to the investigation of early life nutritional exposures and their impact on obesity, gut microbiome and brain/cognitive development, with a particular focus on the role of early sugar consumption and breastmilk composition of human milk oligosaccharides. In 2021 he founded the Southern California Center for Latino Health, a regional initiative focused on developing academic-community solutions to obesity and chronic disease disparities in Latino families and funded by a $25m grant from the National Institute for Minority Health Disparities.
Other merits related to the activity:
Michael is the author of “Sugarproof: Protect Your Family from the Hidden Dangers of Excess Sugar with Simple Everyday Fixes”, published in 2020 and translated to numerous languages including a Spanish version.
Social network profile:
Instagram: @sugarproofkids
Directorate-General of Health, Portugal
Education (name of degree or studies):
Registered Nutritionist, Degree in Nutritional Sciences and PhD in Food Consumption and Nutrition Sciences
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Maria João Gregório is currently the Director of the Portuguese National Programme for the Promotion of Healthy Eating of the Directorate-General of Health.
She is also an Assistant Professor on Food and Nutrition Policy at Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences of the University of Porto.
She is the Portuguese Nutrition Focal Point of WHO Europe.
Head of Advocacy and Studies, UNICEF
Education (name of degree or studies):
Sociologist, specializing in Politics, from the University of Deusto.
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
More than twenty years of professional experience in UNICEF, starting in Mexico, and holding positions of increasing responsibility in UNICEF Basque Country Committee, as Coordinator, and UNICEF Spain, as Head of Corporate Alliances for five years and Head of Advocacy and Studies, since 2013 and currently.
Other merits related to the activity:
She has directed and participated in numerous UNICEF publications related to the Situation of Children in Spain, the Impact of Climate Change on Children, the implementation of Agenda 2030, subjective child well-being, Mental Health and Childhood, Equity for Children, Investment in Children in Spain, the situation of Unaccompanied Migrant Children, among others.
Social Network Profile:
Twitter: @cjunqueraab
Development Manager - Thee Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
Education (name of degree or studies):
Master of Health Sciences
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Coordinator of the national obesity programme in Finland in 2012-2018 Coordinator of the obesity prevention expert network in Finland since 2012
Other merits related to the activity:
Finland's principal investigator of the COSI-study Coordinator of the Nordic chilhood obesity prevention network (PromoKids)
Public health technician. Health promotion service General Directorate of Public Health (Balearic islands)
Education (name of degree or studies):
Medicine. paediatrics. Graduate university expert in health promotion in educational, social and and health contexts
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Primary care paediatric (Ibsalut) 2002-2019
Public health technician 2019
Other merits related to the activity:
Coordinator of the AEpap's health education group. Editorial team member web Familia y Salud. Health EU4Kids project researcher. Training for health professionals on obesity from the perspective of social determinants of health Publications: EPOIB: Second study on the prevalence of childhood and youth obesity in the Balearic Islands Sana, Vida Bona", (healthy eating and active lifestyle programme ), Positive parenting, obesity inequalities.
Social Network Profile:
Twitter: @aepap
Full professor. Faculty of Sports Science, University of Granada
Education (name of degree or studies):
After completing his Degree in Sports Sciences (1998-2002), FB Ortega did 2 separate Doctoral Theses at the University of Granada (Spain) and Karolinska Institute (Stockholm, Sweden) (2002-2008). He did his postdoc in Sweden, including 4 research stays at the University of South Carolina, USA (2008-2012). From 2021 to date, FB. Ortega is working as Professor at the Faculty of Sport Sciences at the University of Granada, Spain, where he is founder and still Co-Director of the PROFITH Research group (http://profith.ugr.es/).
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
He has led epidemiological studies as well as randomized controlled trials exploring the role of phyiscal activity and exercise in obesity and related outcomes. We was also selected by the WHO to be part of the expert group that developed the 2020 WHO Phyiscal Activity Guidelines, where he was particuarly involved in the children and adolescents working group. He has published more than 460 scientific articles and his research has an impact in the scientific community as shown by the more than 50 000 citations and +110 h-index in Google Scholar. He was is acknowledged by the Web of Science as 2022 Highly Cited Researcher, a exclusive list including 0.1% of the most cited researchers in the world
Other merits related to the activity:
He has participated as author in the “ACSM- Guidelines for exercise testing and prescription 11th edition” (Published on Feb 2021), and due to his extended experience in narrative reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and evidence grading systems
Social network profile:
Twitter: @ortegaporcel
Executive Director. Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition
Education (name of degree or studies):
Doctor of Medicine and Surgery
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Director of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition. From the Observatory of Nutrition and Obesity study we work to reverse the trend in Spain and reduce health inequalities; in collaboration with the rest of the institutions, we prepare recommendations for healthy and sustainable diets for the population and for school canteens, we work on the reformulation of food with the food sector, and on the regulation of advertising to minors.
Other merits related to the activity:
Outstanding 4 years in DG SANTE in the framework of Chronic Diseases.
Coordinator of the SNS Health Strategies for chronic processes and the collection of good practices.
Coordinator of the regional cancer screening plan.
Retired as Senior researcher from the Health Quality and Assessment Agency of Catalonia (AQuAS) years ago
Education (name of degree or studies):
MD, MPH, PhD. Pediatrician and Public Health Specialist
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Last years centered on the analysis of inequalities in child and adolescent health. Part of the work related to evaluate the impact of interventions at public health and clinical level in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity
Other merits related to the activity:
Some of the works carried out have been published (i.e.:) Gómez SF, Rajmil L. Advertising, obesity and child health: the case of Spain. BMJ Paediatr Open. 2022. doi: 10.1136/bmjpo-2022-001482. Rajmil L, Bel J, Clofent R, Cabezas C, Castell C, Espallargues M. [Clinical interventions in overweight and obesity: a systematic literature review 2009-2014]. An Pediatr (Barc). 2017;86(4):197-212. doi: 10.1016/j.anpedi.2016.03.012. Voluntary targets for food companies will not end childhood obesity. Spencer N, Rajmil L. BMJ. 2016;355:i6068. doi: 10.1136/bmj.i6068.
Active Member of the International Society of Social Pediatrics (ISSOP) and the International Network for Research on Inequalities in Child Health (INRICH)
Education (name of degree or studies):
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity)
Other merits related to the activity: Franco Sassi
Imperial College Business School
Professor of International Health Policy and Economics
Harkness Fellowship in Health Care Policy 2000-2001, the Commonwealth Fund - New York, United States.
Philosophy Doctorate – University of London - London, UK - Thesis: “The outcomes of medical diagnosis: an economic
perspective”.
Laurea degree in Economics and Management with specialisation in Public Administration (full marks) - "L. Bocconi"
University - Milan, Italy.
Chair of International Health Policy and Economics. Director, Centre for Health Economics & Policy Innovation (CHEPI)
Imperial College Business School
Senior Economist and Head, Public Health Programme – Health Division, Directorate for Employment, Labour and
Social Affairs – Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) – Paris, France [on leave 2017-2020]
Lecturer and Senior Lecturer in Health Policy (tenured from 2001) - Department of Social Policy - The London School of
Economics and Political Science - London, UK [on leave 2007-2009]
Principal Investigator and Project Coordinator on the European Commission funded Horizon 2020 project Science &
Technology in childhood Obesity Policy (STOP), 2018-2022. Lead author of Obesity and the Economics of Prevention: Fit
not Fat (OECD and Edward Elgar, 2010) and of a large number of scientific papers on childhood obesity.
AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF MADRID - UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE MADRID (UAM)
Education (name of degree or studies):
Doctor in Physical Education - Polytechnic University of Madrid Master on Higth Sport Performance - Autonomous University of Madrid Grade on Physical Education and Sport - Polytechnic University of Madrid
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Co-Head of Research Group EstiLIFE on Lifestyles, Physical Activity and Eating Behaviour (Autonomous University of Madrid) Lecturer on Physical Activity and Quality of Life on Autonomous University of Madrid
Other merits related to the activity:
Ex-Scientific Advisor of "PERSEO Program" against children obesity inside of in National Strategy Against Obesity (NAOS). Spanish Ministry of Health
Social network profile:
https://portalcientifico.uam.es/es/ipublic/researcher/260384
Dr. Kremlin Wickramasinghe, MBBS, MSc, PhD WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen Denmark
Education (name of degree or studies):
MSc in Global Health Science and
DPhil (PhD) in Public Health from the University of Oxford.
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Acting Head of the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (the “NCD Office”)
He is also the Regional Adviser for Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity
Prior to this position, he worked as a Technical Officer on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD) Risk Factors, since 2017 in the same office. Before joining WHO, he was a researcher and the co-director of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Population Approaches to NCD Prevention at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Other merits related to the activity:
He has published numerous reports and peer-reviewed papers and co-edited the textbook “An Introduction to Population-level Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases,” published by the Oxford University Press.
Technical Officer (Nutrition). World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Special Initiative for Innovation and NCDs (SNI)
Education (name of degree or studies):
DPhil (Oxon, Population Health), Masters in Public Health (University of Washington), Registered Dietitian (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, USA)
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Technical Officer, WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2017-current
Researcher and DPhil Student, University of Oxford (2012-2017
Social Network Profile:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianne-williams-088a8934/
Technical Officer - Physical Activity. World Health Organization
Education (name of degree or studies):
PhD
Work experience (specifically related to the theme of the activity):
Juana is a technical officer of the World Health Organization in the Department for Health Promotion. Her current work focuses on policies to promote physical activity and developing the technical tools to support country implementation of the Global Action plan on physical activity. She coordinated the development of the first WHO guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age, that were launched in April 2019 and the update of the guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour for children, adults and older adults in 2020. She previously supported the work of the WHO Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity in 2015-2017.
