WGO
For Release May 29, 2016
Every 29th May, the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) celebrates World Digestive Health Day (WDHD) and initiates a worldwide public health campaign through its more than 100 member societies and regional affiliates which reach over 50,000 individual gastroenterologists, hepatologists, GI surgeons, and other health care professionals worldwide. Each year focuses upon a particular digestive or liver disorder, with the theme for 2016 being “Diet and the Gut.”
Led by Co-Chairmen, Drs. Govind K. Makharia (India) and David S. Sanders (UK), the goal of the WDHD 2016 campaign is to raise awareness of the relationship between what we eat and gastrointestinal symptoms. WDHD aims to provide a broad overview on this common association by providing gastroenterologists and physicians, and hence their patients and the lay public, with an understanding of the latest basic and clinical research in the role of food in our gut. ‘Your Diet and Gut Health’ is the WDHD campaign theme for 2016 and seeks to translate research into clinical practice and facilitate communication between healthcare providers, healthcare payers and the public. According to WDHD Co-Chairs, Drs. Makharia and Sanders, “We want to ensure that patients receive appropriate dietary and lifestyle advice as well as appropriate investigations and treatment, relevant to their condition whether this is celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sen! sitivity, irritable bowel syndrome, food intolerance or food allergy.”
The WGO’s task will be supported by the development of educational and training materials, around the world, in collaboration with WGO Member Societies and by the concurrent development and publication of the WGO Guidelines and Cascades on the management of different conditions where our diet may play a role. Web pages devoted to the WDHD campaign are created each year, which consist of tools and resources, various Global Guidelines pertinent to the 2016 theme, information for physicians and patients, an area to submit a society’s event, and a section featuring what countries and societies are doing to celebrate WDHD. WGO President-Elect and Chair of the WGO Foundation, Prof. Cihan Yurdaydin extended his own invitation to participate in WDHD: “Today and throughout 2016, events are taking place around the globe by WGO’s Member Societies and regional affiliates in celebration of WDHD 2016. Past events organized have! included lectures, press conferences, symposia, walkathons, patient awareness camps, creating a World Digestive Health Week, and much more. We invite you to take action and celebrate!”
The WDHD 2016 web page can be found at www.worldgastroenterology.org/wgo-foundation/wdhd/wdhd-2016. Learn about managing your diet and gut health with our 10 tips and facts sheet here! This tool and others are available in the WDHD 2016 "Tools and Resources" section of our website at www.worldgastroenterology.org/wgo-foundation/wdhd/wdhd-2016/tools--resources.
Formed in 1935 and incorporated in 1958, The World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) is a federation of over 100 Member Societies and 4 regional associations of gastroenterology, hepatology, and other related disciplines representing more than 50,000 individual members worldwide, focusing on the improvement of standards in gastroenterology training and education on a global scale. The WGO Foundation, incorporated in 2007, is dedicated to raising funds to support WGO educational programs and activities.
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For more information, press only:
Caley Mutrie, Executive Director, +1 (414) 918-9798, cmutrie@worldgastroenterology.org.
For more information on WGO and its Foundation, view:
www.worldgastroenterology.org / www.wgofoundation.org / www.worldgastroenterology.org/wgo-foundation/wdhd/wdhd-2016
