The International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk (ICCR) and the Chinese Medical Association co-organized the first Chinese International Congress on Weight Management, Lifestyle, and Cardiometabolic Disease.
At the opening of the congress, Mr. Jean-Claude Coubard, Executive Director of the ICCR, described the structure, composition and objectives of the Chair. Expert members of the Chair and Chinese experts presented recent scientific evidence on the epidemic of obesity and metabolic diseases in China. Professor Frank B. Hu (Harvard School of Public Health, USA) spoke about the epidemiology of obesity in China. Professor Jean-Pierre Després, Scientific Director of the ICCR (Université Laval, Canada) stressed the importance of assessing and managing abdominal obesity through lifestyle changes. Professor Benoît Lamarche (Université Laval, Canada) discussed the role of functional foods in the treatment of metabolic diseases, and Professor Robert Ross (Queen’s University, Canada) underlined the importance of fighting physical inactivity and promoting physical activity in the management of obesity.
This first conference, chaired by Professor Qiang Zeng, Director of the Health Management Institute, Chinese PLA General Hospital, was a success with more than 400 participants and helped break down the silos between various medical disciplines for the benefit of the Chinese medical profession as well as of the patients.
This conference also provided the opportunity to establish new scientific relationships between ICCR experts and several Chinese learned societies, which will allow us to continue an active collaboration.