The European charter for counteracting obesity: A late but important step towards action. Observations on the WHO-Europe ministerial conference, Istanbul, November 15-17, 2006

The charter on Counteracting Obesity signed on behalf of all 53 member states of the WHO-Europe region is an important step toward effective action to curb the obesity epidemic However, the charter does not go far enough in identifying explicit goals and means to effectively reverse obesity trends The charter should now be translated and specified in actions involving a range of policy areas, involving international coordination, national, regional and local governments, the private sector as well as the civil society.