The overall objective of the 17th EAA Conference is to contribute to the worldwide debate about human health as a global concern [United Nations, 1995]. The attention will focus on ongoing changes in social and cultural life conditions in different regions of the world and different periods of human history, and their implications for human health and welfare.

Within the frame of the overall aim, main objectives of this meeting are (i) to bring together scholars representing a range of disciplines, experts, students, practitioners, community activists to share research results, strategies and experience in order to provide a better understanding of health related problems of human beings in present and past times; (ii) to create a discussion forum on enhancement to the public awareness of health resources issues and challenges.

This broad theme will provide a forum for presentations on a variety of topics related to the living and the past human populations. The main topics for the symposia are:

• Applications of evolution to human health
• Health determinants, measurements and trends
• Health and illness in cross-cultural perspective
• Growth, maturation and ageing
• Health and human behaviour
• Human skeletal health
• Ethical issues in anthropological research
• Applied anthropology and human health
• Health and quality of life in adolescence
• Human morbidity in the past and present
• Nutrition Anthropology
• Overweight and obesity
• Sport Anthropology
• Miscellany

The Committee offers Conference participants opportunities to propose panels or sessions on themes of their own devising. Those wishing to propose a roundtable discussion or session that deviates from traditional paper-demonstration format are requested to submit their idea and chosen format, the topic to be discussed, the desired length of time, and a list of participants.

The Committee reserves the right to make modifications or changes to the programme if necessary.