European eprObes Week for Early Prevention of Obesity. ‘Parents as Health Architects: Key Players for Early Obesity Prevention’

Rzeszow, 3 March 2025– From 4 to 11 March 2025, the European eprObes Week for Early Prevention of Obesity will take place, bringing together leading experts, policymakers, key institutions, and health advocates to address one of the most pressing public health challenges: childhood obesity. Organised within the framework of the eprObes project (Early Prevention of Obesity in the European Society), this Week aims to highlight the essential role of parents in shaping lifelong healthy habits for their children.

With a budget of €10 million and a duration of five years, eprObes project unites 21 organisations from across Europe to develop and promote evidence-based strategies for early obesity prevention. The project emphasises that early-life interventions, starting from pregnancy and extending through childhood and adolescence, are critical in preventing obesity and associated health risks.

Collegium Medicum of the University of Rzeszów is a member of the consortium, particularly responsible for conducting longitudinal studies among children aged 6 to 12 years. As part of this initiative, a prospective cohort study is being carried out, with a planned sample size of 160 participants—80 children with obesity and 80 children in a control group with normal body weight. This study aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of children's health, enabling the identification of early-life risk factors for obesity. The analysis includes detailed anthropometric measurements, body composition assessment, and blood pressure monitoring. A crucial component of the study is also a broad range of biochemical tests,
providing valuable insights into metabolic health. Additionally, participants and their families complete a set of validated questionnaires, allowing for an in-depth evaluation of lifestyle factors, dietary habits, physical activity levels, and sleep quality. The collected data will help identify key determinants influencing childhood obesity, facilitating the development of effective prevention strategies.

European Workshop in Brussels: A Key Event for Policy and Science

The European eprObes Week will be launched with a high-level European Workshop in Brussels on 4 March 2025, featuring key representatives from the European Commission and renowned international experts. This event will provide a platform for discussions on policy recommendations, scientific advancements, and practical approaches to support parents in creating healthier environments for their children to prevent obesity. Participation in the workshops is free of charge. Registration for the event.

Prof Dr Manuel Tena-Sempere, coordinator of the eprObes project from CIBER in Spain, underscores the importance of early intervention: “Parents play a fundamental role in shaping their children's health, even before birth. The prenatal and early childhood periods are crucial windows of opportunity to establish a solid foundation for lifelong well-being. By providing the right knowledge and support, we can empower parents to become proactive health architects in their children’s lives from the prenatal stage until puberty.”

The Collegium Medicum of the University of Rzeszów will actively participate in the European workshops through the involvement of Prof. dr. hab. n. med. Artur Mazur and dr. hab. Edyta Łuszczki, Prof. UR.

Dr. hab. Justyna Wyszyńska, prof. UR, emphasizes that early intervention in children's health plays a key role in effective obesity prevention. “Thanks to research conducted within the eprObes project, in collaboration with 21 partners from across Europe, we can not only identify risk factors already in early childhood but also develop personalized intervention strategies that will have a real impact on improving the health of children and adolescents across Europe,” says Prof. Wyszyńska.

The European Workshop also counts on the collaboration of OBEClust, the European Cluster of Obesity Research Projects. Comprised of 9 European projects, and mobilising more than 70 million euros, the overall aim of OBEClust is to constitute a European multidisciplinary network of experts in the field of obesity, aimed to jointly strengthen and align project methods, outputs and impact of obesity prevention projects currently funded by the European Commission.

About eprObes & OBEClust

eprObes is a groundbreaking European project dedicated to addressing childhood obesity through early prevention strategies. By integrating research, policy development, and community engagement, eprObes aims to create sustainable solutions that support families, educators, and healthcare providers in fostering healthier generations.

OBEClust has two main objectives: To form a peer support group to discuss common methodological strategies and to establish common operational and/or policy guidelines to tackle societal, scientific and political issues related to obesity in Europe.

Contact details

For further information, please contact us:
Collegium Medicum, University of Rzeszów, jwyszynska@ur.edu.pl, eluszczki@ur.edu.pl
info@eprobes.eu
www.eprobes.eu