ECO ICO 2020
Online European Congress on Obesity and International Congress of Obesity, September 1st -4th 2020
ASOI, EASO and WOF have decided to transition the live ECO-ICO scheduled to take place in Dublin from September 1st to 4th 2020 to an interactive and engaging online event. This conference outlined all the different scopes of obesity, such as the general science behind it, behavioral and environmental factors, as well as the different pillars of its management and interventions.
The Healthy Hydration Working Group Special joint session, held on September 2nd from 12:30 to 1:30PM in room 1, focused on HEALTHY HYDRATION IN CHILDREN: from health benefits to intervention program encouraging water consumption.
This session was chaired by Prof. Hermann Toplak (Austria).
This report brings you take-home messages from the presentations.
1. What is children fluid intake pattern worldwide and why maintaining a healthy hydration is key for them?
The first lecture by Dr. Juliane Zemdegs from Danone Nutricia Research (France) aimed at understanding the current context of hydration in children: what is their fluid intake pattern worldwide and why maintaining a healthy hydration is key for them.
- More than 60% of children worldwide do not drink sufficiently
- Children are underhydrated before coming to school and they only consume 14% of their total fluid intake at school
- Increasing water intake to 2,5L/day improves cognitive flexibility in children
- A quarter of children in the world does not drink even one glass of water per day
- In 6/13 countries worldwide, children drink more sugar-sweetened beverages than water
- Parents have a key role to play in installing healthy habits
2. Understanding how a healthier hydration can be achieved at school and what kind of policies can be integrated.
The second lecture presented how a healthier hydration can be achieved at school and what kind of policies can be integrated. Dr. Nathalie Michels from the University of Ghent (Belgium) presented the result of a recent study aiming at understanding water environment and consumption at school, such as the presence of water fountain or the status of the toilet facilities.
- 54% of children are underhydrated at school
- Drinking water should be made fun
- Water should be available during the school day
- Education on good drinking and toilet use should be introduced early
- Adequate and private toilet facilities provided so children aren’t put off going to the toilet
3. Understanding desire for sugar-sweetened beverages and implications for behaviour change
The third and final lecture by Dr. Esther Papies from the University of Glasgow (UK). aimed at understanding desire for sugar-sweetened beverages and implications for behaviour change
- Understanding desire for nonalcoholic drinks is key to enable behavior change toward water
- Long-term consequences don’t impact most people choices for drinks – use short-term consequences to lead desire for water
- Activating consumption and reward simulations can change desire and drinking behaviour says expert
- Experience matters to encourage water desire: start early
- Offering water is not enough – emphasize what makes water rewarding
To know more, check the agenda below.
Two "Meet the expert" sessions were held on top of the symposium, available on the ECO-ICO virtual exhibition:
- Daily practice and education in hydration for patients living with obesity, Pauline Douglas, RD, BDA, University of Ulster, UK. Thursday 3rd, 1:00 pm to 1:15 pm.
- Healthy Hydration in Daily Life by Sólveig Sigurðardóttir, President of the EASO ECPO, Iceland. Friday 4th , 11:45 am to 12:00 pm.
To know more about ECO-ICO, visit: http://ecoico2020.com/
