WHO Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity to hold regional consultation in Auckland July 27-28
In 2014 Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the WHO established a Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity. The
commission of 15 eminent persons is co-chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman of New Zealand and Dr Sania Nishtar of Pakistan. It
is supported by two working groups of experts; the working group on science and evidence and the working group on
implementation, monitoring and accountability. The Commission issued a consultation document in March 2015 (see
footnote) and is charged with completing its report to the Director General by the end of 2015.
It is undertaking regional consultations, with the Pacific region consultation taking place in Auckland on July 27 and
28. Four members of the Commission - Sir Peter Gluckman; Dr Colin Tukiutonga, Director General at Secretariat of the
Pacific Community; Ambassador Betty King, former ambassador of the USA to the United Nations (USA) and Prof Srinath
Reddy, President of the Public Health Foundation of India and the World Heart Federation (India) - together with WHO officials and health officials from 18 Pacific Island states (including New Zealand) will
be attending. In addition to those discussions, the Commission members will meet with a group of Pacific Island youth
and then with a group of school teachers from New Zealand and the Pacific at Tamaki College. They will also have an
informal dialogue with the NZ Minister of Health Dr Coleman.
[i] http://www.who.int/end-childhood-obesity/commission-ending-childhood-obesity-interim-report.pdf?ua=1
ENDS