Increasing productivity, competitiveness and resilience by tackling the interplay between obesity and diabetes
June 24 15.00-18.00 European Parliament, Brussels
Europe’s united community calls for comprehensive policy action to address the twin epidemics of diabetes and obesity.
Yesterday, standing in for our Executive Director Vicki Mooney at the parliament, our Operations Director Susie Birney joined the panel led by Prof. Stefano Del Prato, Chair EUDF.
Having the lived experience of both obesity and diabetes Susie was able to represent many sharing her own views on the recommendations.
“Typically when I speak at an event, I am trying to find a missing link or address an unmet need that has not been discussed which would be relevant for patients. Today I feel overwhelmed that the narrative has moved on so much and there is nothing new to add.
Not only hearing about prevention but to repeatedly hear that management is vital, and furthermore that obesity management MUST be integrated into diabetes care, is welcomed.
Prevention does not work for MY obesity and now that I understand the connections between obesity and diabetes, CVD, Liver, and kidney disease, I am really excited to see that action will follow now that we are working together”
Susie Birney -Operations Director, ECPO
“We have heard from Susie today and we must reflect on an important part of this conversation.
Susie is not an obese subject, she is not only a person living with obesity and diabetes, she is Susie. Clinicians often treat the disease but not treat the person”
MEP Prof. Ignazio R. Marino
This is not only a financial burden we are discussing, we need to humanise this and these recommendations today are a starting point and we are committed to work towards every health care system to be fully equipped as it should be in the cardiometabolic space”
MEP Adam Jarubas, Chair SANT Committee European Parliament
“Stigma for both diabetes and obesity cannot be forgotten when we are discussing these recommendations”
Prof. Jean-François Gautier
“We can replace judgement with empathy by avoiding over simplification of the disease. We need more education in schools. We urgently need to legislate the digital services act to target hate speech online and make the social media landscape safer particularly for the younger generation.
We also need to ensure we have a person at these events like Susie sharing their stories”
MEP Veronica Cifrová Ostrihoňová
The discussions continued with Prof. Eugenia Vlachou, MEP Romana Jerković and MEP Tomas Sokol. Inequalities for women in health, medical discrimination, the European health data space, the commercial determinants of health, and that profit should never prevail over a person health.
The session ran overtime yet all remained in the room throughout and were invested, committed and engaged in the discussion.
We thank EUDF for the invitation to join this call for action and we look forward to continuing to strengthen and unifying our voices for all cardio, renal metabolic diseases.