First Action Plan for food and nutrition for the European region
Main objectives of the draft Action Plan
On November 2006 in Istanbul WHO/Europe organized the European Ministerial Conference on Counteracting Obesity where the first draft of the Action Plan was presented. The main objectives of the draft are:
promote healthy lifestyles in the European population by ensuring food security;
improving dietary habits and physical activity, promoting healthy ageing, and preventing nutrition-related and food borne diseases;
identify goals and actions at the European level to harmonize activities and bring synergy in the use of resources;
advocate for and support a reassessment of national strategies and action plans or complete existing ones, so that detailed plans for implementation are included and plans are integrated within national public health policies;
assist countries to foster the integration of nutrition, food safety and physical activity by different stakeholders in the health and other sectors.
A consultation was launched to gather suggestions to implement the first draft and the final version is to be issued by the end of 2007.
The Second Action Plan will address the following health challenges:
obesity and nutrition-related chronic diseases
micronutrient deficiencies
food insecurity and undernutrition
food-borne diseases.
EPHA response
EPHA believes that establishing general guidelines and clear principles in the context of international organizations is essential to tackle obesity.
EPHA calls for restrictions on the commercial communications to children of foods that contribute to an unhealthy diet.
In addition, EPHA urges a 6am - 9pm watershed on audiovisual commercial communication of unhealthy foods and drinks, which would help cover the times when children are most likely to be watching television.
Despite industry claims that self-regulation on advertising is effective, EPHA have concerns that voluntary codes are often not sufficient to restrain unacceptable practices, especially since self regulation is most commonly adopted by industries under threat of government regulation.
Harmonised legislation on labeling: It is important to harmonise an appropriate reference quantity of nutritional declaration, per serving is the most easy way to understood by consumers.
Affordability is clearly related to availability, the more quantity of fruit and vegetables you can find in the market the cheaper they become. Actions should be directed toward agricultural policy changes that stimulate the availability of certain foods -especially supplies of fruits and vegetables.
