White logo with three abstract human figures above the text "ADIPOSITAS PACT STICHTING | FONDATION PACTE ADIPOSITE FOUNDATION FOR THE RIGHTS OF CITIZENS WITH OBESITY" on a light background.

Pacte Adiposité – Adipositas Pact is a Private Foundation established under Belgian law representing the rights of citizens with obesity.

 

Chapter 1

A protected legal status for the4.5 million People Livingwith pre-Obesity and obesity in Belgium

Guaranteeing the legal status of people living with obesity as with people living with the other policy-prioritised major chronic diseases (NCDs), is a basic human right in the Belgian context.

Providing People Living with obesity the legal status of being protected under the right to non-discrimination on the grounds of past, current or future health status can only provide a benefit for not only the conservatively estimated 50% of the Belgian population already living with obesity, but also could substantially lower the 90% of people going on to develop Type 2 Diabetes, and more than 200+ medical complications of obesity.

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Table of Contents

  1. A protected legal status for the 4.5 million People Living with pre-Obesity and obesity in Belgium
  2. The right to a quality service from early diagnosis and screening through to treatment and long term management.
  3. A right to access to early diagnosis and screening for obesity in its own right
  4. Access to acute interdisciplinary treatment and long-term management
  5. The right to free choice of your healthcare provider
  6. The right to information about your state of health
  7. Rights concerning primary and secondary use of our health information
  8. The right to participate in shaping, monitoring and evaluating the healthcare system from policies to practices

Guiding Principles to be actioned to obtain protection under the law for people living with obesity

  • Belgian health actors from government to Sciensano, Riziv/ INAMI will adopt and implement WHO’s definition of obesity enshrined in ICD11 and adopted by the European Commission in 2021
  • Obesity will be specifically included in the policy-prioritised chronic diseases health system framework in Belgium with its own National Plan for disease management for early diagnosis and screening, acute treatment and long term management coordinated at Federal level.
  • People living with Obesity in Belgium shall specifically be named as a “protected” population under the Patient Rights legislation and Policy initiatives.
  • People Living with Obesity will have access to complaints to UNIA for discrimination on the grounds of current or future health status in Belgium.
  • People living with Obesity in Belgium (regardless of ethnicity or legal status) will be proactively informed about their rights under access to healthcare for obesity under the law.
  • People with Obesity will not only continue to be named as part of the “vulnerable population due to pre-existing medical condition” in Pandemic preparedness
Introduction
Chapter 2
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Acknowledgements

The Foundation for the Rights of Citizens with Obesity is a non-profit Private Foundation established under Belgian law, led by citizens of lived experience with obesity representing our rights towards access to healthcare.

This project has been driven by and for us in collaboration with VUB and KU Leuven as Research Partners.

We would also like to acknowledge the financial support and contribution of expertise as part of the multi-stakeholder focus groups from Novo Nordisk Belgium, J&J Belgium and Third-i bvba in the realisation of all elements to this initiative.

Research Partners

Logo of Vrije Universiteit Brussel, featuring the acronym "VUB" in white letters on a blue square, with "Vrije Universiteit Brussel" written to the right in blue text.
The image shows the KU Leuven logo with white text on a dark blue rectangular background and a light blue border on the top and left sides.

Dissemination Partners

Logo of the Belgian Association for the Study of Obesity (BASO), with the letter "O" depicted as a yellow circular brushstroke.
Logo of Obesity Platform Belgium featuring a blue and green abstract circular design next to the text "OPB Obesity Platform Belgium" on a white background.