International Conferences on Health Promotion: evolution, conceptual inflections, and contemporary challenges for the global agenda

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the evolution of themes and contributions of the International Conferences on Health Promotion from 1986 to 2021, identifying their main advances, conceptual inflection points, and contemporary challenges for consolidating health promotion at the global level. Method: A qualitative narrative review based on document analysis of official declarations, charters, and reports from the International Conferences on Health Promotion, complemented by scientific literature indexed in SciELO, LILACS, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Documents published between 1986 and 2023 in Portuguese, English, and Spanish were included. The analysis was conducted through thematic categorization, guided by the identification of analytical axes over time. Results: Declarations from ten International Conferences and five regional and thematic conferences on Health Promotion were analyzed. The findings indicate a progressive expansion of the scope of health promotion, shifting from lifestyle-centered approaches toward structural perspectives that incorporate social determinants, equity, sustainability, and global governance. Notable advances include the institutionalization of the concept, the consolidation of intersectorality, and the adoption of the Health in All Policies approach. However, persistent challenges remain related to implementation, structural inequalities, and the influence of economic and corporate determinants. Conclusion: The conferences constitute key normative and political milestones, contributing to the consolidation of a global health promotion agenda. Despite significant conceptual and political advances, their effectiveness depends on the ability to translate global guidelines into local practice, requiring strengthened institutions, intersectoral governance, and a sustained commitment to equity.