The WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) was established in 2007 to address the need for standardized data on the prevalence of overweight and obesity among primary school-aged children. For over 15 years, it has been monitoring trends in these key public health issues, with CHESS taking a part in this important initiative.
This factsheet presents findings from the sixth round of data collection, conducted between 2022 and 2024, which measured approximately 470,000 children in 37 countries across the region. These are the first estimates following the COVID-19 pandemic, providing valuable insights into how the burden of childhood overweight and obesity has evolved in the post-pandemic period.
By enabling cross-country comparisons and tracking progress over time, the data collected through COSI continue to highlight the significant public health challenge posed by childhood obesity in the region. They also play a crucial role in monitoring progress toward the UN High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) in 2025, aiming to halt the rise in obesity and achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 3.4, which calls for a one-third reduction in premature mortality from NCDs.