On 5 June 2025, Digestive Cancers Europe (DiCE) joined policymakers, medical experts, and civil society at the European Parliament for a high-level event titled “Connecting the Dots: Obesity, Digestive Diseases and Cancers.” Hosted by MEP Romana Jerković and supported by United European Gastroenterology (UEG) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), the event shone a spotlight on the growing burden of obesity-related diseases—and the urgent need for coordinated EU action.

Obesity is one of Europe’s most pressing public health challenges. According to UEG’s latest position paper, over half of the EU’s adult population and nearly one in three children in the WHO European Region are now overweight or obese. This has serious consequences for digestive health. Obesity is a well-established risk factor for diseases such as liver cirrhosis, inflammatory bowel disease, gastroesophageal reflux, and multiple digestive cancers—including liver, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer. In 2019 alone, 4.6% of all digestive cancer deaths were attributed to high BMI globally.

DiCE’s Medical and Scientific Project Manager, Natasha Muench, addressed the role of obesity beyond prevention—emphasising its impact on treatment tolerance, recovery, and survivorship in digestive cancer care. She called for a more integrated approach across Europe that includes nutritional support, psycho-oncology, and rehabilitation as standard parts of cancer care, to support better long-term outcomes for patients.

Several MEPs voiced strong support for more robust policy action. MEP Romana Jerković stressed the need for EU-wide harmonised measures on obesity and digestive health. She called for greater investment in prevention and health literacy, while also recognising the role of the food industry in shaping health environments. Jerković warned that digestive cancers are becoming a “silent epidemic,” especially among younger populations under 50.

MEP Alessandra Moretti highlighted persistent health inequalities across Member States and raised concerns about recent threats to EU health and social policy budgets. She called for fact-based policymaking grounded in scientific integrity, especially in an era of increasing misinformation and populism.

Dr. Kremlin Wickramasinghe of the WHO Europe office presented stark figures: 56% of adults and 25% of children in the EU are overweight or obese. He linked obesity to 200,000 new cancer cases per year and urged action on healthy diets, physical activity, and regulatory frameworks. Portugal’s sugar tax was highlighted as a positive example of effective policy.

Finally, Prof. Patrick Michl of the European Pancreatic Club warned that digestive diseases and cancers—driven by obesity, alcohol, smoking, and aging—now account for one in three cancer deaths in Europe. DiCE stands ready to work with policymakers and partners to ensure obesity prevention and management become key pillars of Europe’s cancer strategy.

Author:

Ivan Ratkovic