Call for ‘One Health’ approach to obesity
The event brought together speakers from human and veterinary medicine.
Human and veterinary healthcare professionals have called for a ‘One Health’ approach to obesity in humans and their pets.
During a recent conference, the WSAVA’s One Health Committee highlighted the success of community walking programmes and drafted a consensus statement on the ‘One Health’ approach to obesity.
Proceedings from the meeting will be published in the Journal of Comparative Pathology.
The conference, entitled ‘Preventing Obesity in People and their Pets: A One Health Approach’, brought together speakers from human and veterinary medicine.
Led by Professor Michael Day, chair of the WSAVA’s One Health Committee, the event was attended by over 100 delegates with diverse backgrounds in human and animal medicine.
During the conference, speakers and delegates confirmed the importance of One Health in the control and prevention of obesity. They also called for the direct input of One Health proponents into the shaping of future public policy in this area.
“This was a milestone event for one health, showcasing the role of the animal companion animal bond and the value of comparative research into spontaneously-arising companion animal disease states,” commented Professor Day.
“The enthusiasm with which both speakers and delegates tackled subjects that were often outside their comfort zone is what made this unique event so successful and it was inspiring to listen to medical doctors and veterinarians working collaborative to develop solutions to this significant global change.”
Structured around three key themes, the conference explored the biology of obesity and its associated co-morbidities; the costs, behaviour and psychology of obesity; and One Health solutions to obesity.
The event was live-streamed on Facebook, enabling 3,500 'virtual delegates' to view the content in real-time. Videos from the event can be accessed on the One Health Committee Facebook page.
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
