Obesity and overweight issues

WHO/Europe has mapped policies on nutrition, physical activity and obesity throughout the European Region in a new database called NOPA. The purpose is to assist decision-makers and professionals who want to address the rising levels of non-communicable disease. The NOPA database has been created in close collaboration with health ministries and with support from the European Commission. It includes details on more than 300 national and sub-national policies that address nutrition, (...)

On 15 March 2011, the European Chronic Disease Alliance sent a letter to Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission in order to raise awareness on the need to tackle chronic diseases. On 15 March 2011, the European Chronic Disease Alliance, an alliance representing over 100 000 health professionals acting in the prevention of such a societal burden, sent a letter to Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission. The four main factors of chronic non-communicable (...)

Running since February 2010, the StanMark Project aims to develop international standards for the marketing of foods and beverages to children. Further information about the project is available below. Through the development of international standards for the marketing of foods and beverages to children, the StanMark Project aims to protect children’s health. An analysis of existing standards, regulations and voluntary initiatives will be developed, along with a review of the (...)

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has recently published a new report on obesity. The document provides an overview of the current status of overweight and obesity in the OECD countries as well as an analysis of the effectiveness of the national measures used to counter such burden. Obesity is a complex phenomenon that requires the consideration of multiple factors. The causes of overweight and obesity are multiple, so are the measures tackling such burden. (...)

Croation EPHA member NET+ Association started the "Healthy Eco Life” project for innovative promotion of health and ecology for primary school children in Croatia and Slovenia. The project takes a creative, learning-by-doing approach that includes a one day visit to an eco farm where children can gain experience in growing organic vegetables and taking care of domestic animals. This action is granted by the Executive Agency for Health and Consumers, within the Health Programme 2009. (...)

On 7 December the EPHA secretariat attended a workshop organised by the European Commission Directorate-General for Information Society and Media (DG INFSO) on advertising to children regarding food high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS food). Background The 2007 Audiovisual Media service Directive (AVMS Directive) amended the former “Television without Frontiers”Directive. The 2007 Directive introduced Article 3e (2), which states that governments and the Commission must (...)

International Association for the Study of Obesity and BEUC have released several country reports from its PolMark project on obesity in the EU. Being overweight and the level of obesity are increasing in Europe, especially amongst children. In order to improve the understanding of the influences on children’s dietary choices and nutritional status, the International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO) and BEUC conducted the PolMark project (Policy options for Marketing Food (...)

The results from two recently-published studies indicate that a traffic light label on the front of package is the best way to facilitate accurate interpretation of key nutritional information and therefore enable consumers to make informed choices about the food they purchase. The findings of these studies are particularly relevant given that the proposed Regulation on the Provision of Food Information to Consumers is currently being considered by the European institutions. The traffic (...)

It is anticipated that the presentation of the highly controversial draft rules on health and nutrition claims on food packaging will be postponed until late 2009. Aside from the intense Industry lobbying, at a political level, Commission officials from DG Enterprise and DG Agriculture have also objected to certain elements in the DG SANCO proposal. There are concerns among health campaigners that if this level of political conflict continues, the public health objectives of the Regulation (...)

On 3 April 2009, the members of the Platform convened to discuss two main issues- the monitoring of the members’ commitments to the Platform and the reformulation of food products. In addition, a new case study on the impact of the European Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, developed by the IESE Business School in Barcelona, was presented. Members’ Commitments and Reporting The guidelines for reporting and submitting commitments has been updated for (...)