Successful collaboration: BIPS remains WHO Collaborating Centre

“The reappointment confirms the trust that the WHO places in us,” says Prof. Dr. Iris Pigeot, Director of BIPS and Head of the Biometry and IT Department. “It shows how important our research is internationally. We look forward to continuing to work with the WHO to develop new solutions for the prevention of obesity and other chronic diseases. In the coming years, we want to strengthen our commitment and help advance global health promotion.”

Five priorities for the coming years

BIPS has set itself five central tasks for its collaboration with WHO. One of the main tasks is to continue the Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI), a Europe-wide project to monitor overweight and obesity in children, in Bremen. In addition, BIPS wants to work to ensure that data collection in Germany takes place not only in Bremen, as has been the case so far, but also in other German states. The aim is to create a broader data basis that can serve as a foundation for national prevention measures against obesity in children.

Another focus is on the development and introduction of innovative survey methods. BIPS will work closely with the WHO to integrate new technologies into data collection. Geocoding and the use of sensors will help to better capture environmental factors and examine their influence on health. These methods make it possible to collect more precise data, which is essential for developing effective prevention strategies.

In addition, BIPS is leading an international group of experts to work with the WHO to harmonize health data across national borders. This means standardizing different data sets – from surveys to health insurance data – to make them more comparable and thus improve health reporting.

Together with the systematic evaluation of already existing health data, a monitoring system is to be established to determine in which areas the WHO health targets are being met and in which areas action is still needed.

Furthermore, BIPS is making a key contribution to the development of the WHO Training Academy to support health stakeholders and WHO partners in their work through continuing education programs.

Long-term impact and future research

“The work of BIPS will not only strengthen prevention work in Germany, but will also contribute to the global health strategy of the WHO,” adds Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Ahrens, head of the Department of Epidemiological Methods and Causal Research at BIPS. He adds: “The results of the work should help to develop new international guidelines for the prevention of noncommunicable diseases. In the long term, this should help, for example, to protect children worldwide from obesity.”

The international exchange with other WHO Collaborating Centres should make it possible to develop joint solutions for health problems that affect several countries. The scientific findings can then be directly incorporated into political measures to improve health systems worldwide and thus protect the health of the population.

BIPS – Health research for the benefit of all

The population is at the center of our research. As an epidemiological research institute, we see our mission in identifying the causes of health disorders and developing new concepts for the prevention of diseases. Our research provides a basis for societal decisions. It informs the population about health risks and contributes to a healthy living environment.

BIPS is a member of the Leibniz Association, which comprises 96 independent research institutions. The orientation of the Leibniz Institutes ranges from natural, engineering and environmental sciences to economics, spatial and social sciences and the humanities. Due to their national importance, the institutes of the Leibniz Association are jointly funded by the federal and state governments. The Leibniz Institutes employ around 20,000 people, including 10,000 scientists.