By Ms Pippy Walker, PhD Candidate, University of Sydney and EPOCH-Translate Early Career Researcher

I am a recently commenced PhD candidate at the University of Sydney and an EPOCH-Translate Early Career Researcher (ECR), and I had the opportunity to attend the 33rd European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Istanbul in May 2026. My travel to the conference was generously supported by EPOCH-Translate.

At ECO 2026, I presented as part of a symposium titled “New advances and insights in modelling childhood and adolescent obesity”. I was joined by colleagues Professor Alison Hayes and Dr Mohammad Nure Alam from the University of Sydney, along with Dr Olu Onyimadu from the University of Oxford and Dr Laura Gray from the University of Sheffield.

My presentation, “Accounting for spillover effects of childhood obesity prevention initiatives on parents, caregivers and other family members in modelled health economic evaluations,” focused on how including the broader impacts of obesity prevention initiatives on families in economic evaluations can influence economic outcomes.

As a researcher in the early stages of my PhD, I greatly valued the opportunity to attend a major obesity-focused international conference so early in my candidature. It was particularly rewarding to see representation from a wide range of stakeholders involved in obesity prevention and management, including academics, public health advocates, people with lived experience, and healthcare professionals such as prescribers, surgeons, and allied health practitioners. This diversity highlighted the multidisciplinary nature of the field and the importance of collaboration.

One standout session for me was the plenary on ultra-processed foods, which highlighted the recently published Lancet series. The session sparked lively discussion and a range of questions from the audience, reflecting diverse perspectives and varying levels of understanding about this important public health issue.

As this was my first European conference, it was also an excellent opportunity to learn about research being conducted internationally. I connected with a number of researchers whose work aligns closely with my own interests. These conversations have led to plans for follow-up discussions and introductions to additional collaborators, which I am excited to pursue as my research develops.

Overall, attending ECO 2026 was an incredibly valuable experience. It provided early exposure to the global research community, deepened my understanding of key issues in obesity research, and helped me build important professional connections that will support my work moving forward.