Dr. Adriano Cattaneo was an Epidemiology Consultant and Coordinator of the Department of Research in Health, Epidemiology and International health at the Institute for Maternal and Infant Health “IRCCS Burlo Garofolo” in Trieste, Italy, until he retired end 2013. This department has been collaborating with the WHO since 1992 on maternal and infant healthcare issues. 

As a graduate of the university of Padua, Dr Cattaneo also holds a diploma from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He mainly worked in developing countries, and as a doctor for the WHO for four years. 

He has authored and co-authored over 150 papers and abstracts in scientific journals, books and conference papers. He is a member of the Italian Society of Epidemiology and the Cultural Association of Italian Paediatricians. He taught Epidemiology and international health in the universities of Trieste, Padua and Brescia. He speaks English, French, Spanish and Portuguese fluently. 

As the coordinator of projects funded by the European Union, Dr Cattaneo has played an important role in drafting, implementing and conclusions of the document on the action plan for protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding in Europe. 

He was also involved in national and European projects for the prevention of excess weight and obesity among pre-schoolers and schoolchildren. 

Dr Cattaneo was also a member of the Italian breastfeeding commission, tasked with developing national breastfeeding policy and implementation programmes, including the setup of a standard monitoring system for breastfeeding rates and practices.