The Registrar of the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat and New Patriotic Party parliamentary candidate for Abuakwa South, Dr. Kingsley Agyemang, will lead the global discussion on multi-level determinants of obesity (using Ghana as an exemplar) at the 31st European Conference on Obesity (ECO) in Venice, Italy.
ECO is the premier obesity event in Europe, and facilitates interaction among scientific leaders to streamline academic discourse.
Dr. Agyemang, who is a KNUST and GIMPA lecturer, seeks to encourage academic research on obesity, which has traditionally focused on individual-level factors, to incorporate areal-level factors, given the theoretical nudge for a more ecological approach.
In an interview, the lecturer said “the ‘obesogeneity’ of our living spaces and societal norms are keys to reversing the rising cases of obesity globally”. He indicated that in Ghana, and to a larger extent, sub-Saharan Africa, the closeness of communities increases the intra-group correlation, and makes the multi-level lens more critical.
He further stated that “despite the well-documented importance of an ecological framework in understanding health behaviour, it is quite surprising that the associated empirical evidence based on obesity is rare, particularly in Africa. A wider incorporation of diverse non-clinical disciplines could contribute to addressing this gap.”
The European conference is scheduled for this month, and will feature clinicians, practitioners, physicians, nutritionists, surgeons, and researchers – all experts and key opinion leaders in the field of obesity and its related conditions.
It promises to deliver an extremely attractive and diverse scientific programme complemented by specialized presentations, courses, and networking opportunities.
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