BalNeSO official site

About BalNeSO

The Balkan Network for the Study of Obesity (BalNeSO) is a non-governmental, non-profit scientific association founded in 2005, in Athens, by the representatives of seven national associations for obesity from Bulgaria, Greece, Israel, Romania, Serbia, Turkey and Cyprus. The initiative for the formation of such a Network had been taken by the Hellenic Medical Association for Obesity in 2002 and, in 2005, the expansion of the Network and the enlargement of its goals and perspectives were decided.

The aims of BalNeSO are:

To encourage and support activities related to research on the prevention and treatment of obesity.
To facilitate communication between members of the Balkan countries on related issues.
To organise the Balkan Congress on Obesity.
To promote the study of obesity in the interbalkan field through the scientific cooperation of scientific associations, institutions, universities and other bodies.
To promote research and teaching in all levels of education in the area of obesity.
To promote the establishment of related Institutes and Research Scientific Centres.
To contribute to the general scientific knowledge, education and progress in the area of obesity of the member Balkan countries.
To promote peace and friendship among the people of the Balkan countries.

Up to now, BalNeSO have organised two congresses: the 1st Balkan Congress on Obesity (BCO) was held in Athens, Greece in 2003, in collaboration with the Hellenic Medical Association for Obesity and the 2nd BCO was held in Albena, Bulgaria, in May 2006, in collaboration with the Bulgarian Association for the Study of Obesity. The 3rd BCO will take place in Thessaloniki, Greece in 2008 and it will be organised by BalNeSO and HMAO.

One of the first initiatives of BalNeSO is the implementation of a Balkan Epidemiological Study on obesity. Currently, all existing data from the countries joining the Network are being collected, in order to present a comprehensive study which will reflect the trends of obesity in the Balkan Peninsula.
The BalNeSO General Assembly took place on May 20th, 2006, during the 2nd BCO, in Albena, Bulgaria. The country-members of the Network agreed on the future steps to be taken in order to strengthen the presence of BalNeSO within the European scientific community.

The Administrative Committee of the Balkan Network for the Study of Obesity for the triennium 2006-2008, elected during the General Assembly, stand as follows:
President:
Ioannis Kaklamanos, MD - Greece
Secretary:
Volkan Yumuk, MD - Turkey
Treasurers:
Efthymios Kapantais, MD - Greece Svetoslav Handjiev, MD - Bulgaria

Should any national association of the Balkan Peninsula and of the Middle East is interested in joining the Network, please contact the BalNeSO Secretariat.