Promoting Nutrition and Physical Activities to Tackle Obesity

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In Europe today, 6 of the 7 biggest risk factors for premature death – blood pressure, cholesterol, Body Mass Index, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, physical inactivity and alcohol abuse – relate to how we eat, drink and move.

Against this background, the Union feels the need to pool synergies and resources by involving all stakeholders, including the food and advertising industries, civil society and the media. Major objectives to be achieved are increasing awareness and improving habits relating to nutrition and physical activity. The European Platform for Action on Diet and Physical Activity has the aim of bringing together key EU-level representatives of the food, retail, catering, and advertising industries, consumer organisations and health NGOs. It acts as a forum for all those capable of committing themselves to action.

In May 2007, the European Commission adopted a White Paper on a strategy for combating overweight and obesity, combining actions in areas such as agriculture, transport, sport and education, as well as public health and food. The strategy re-emphasises the Platform as one model for better partnerships at national and local levels, and brings together a new High Level Group, comprised of government representatives of each Member State.

Strategy

The Commission's White Paper on a strategy on nutrition, overweight, and obesity-related health issues aims at contributing to reduce the risks associated with poor nutrition and limited physical activity in the European Union.

Coordination

High Level group on Nutrition and Physical Activity (HLG)

The high level group on nutrition and physical activity is a group of European government representatives dealing with this issue, led by the European Commission. It meets at least 3 times a year. Government representatives from all 27 EU member states and the 2 EFTA countries (Norway, Switzerland) are part of the High Level Group. The HLG seeks European solutions to obesity-related health issues by:

• Offering an overview of all government policies on nutrition and physical activity
• Helping governments share policy ideas and practice (e.g. redesigning the physical environment to encourage cycling, walking and other forms of daily activity, or reformulating food products to contain less salt, fats or sugars).
• Improving liaison between governments and the EU platform for diet, physical activity and health, so relevant public-private partnerships can be quickly identified and agreed on.

The High Level Group holds joint meetings with the EU Platform for Diet Physical Activity and Health on a regular basis.

EU platform for action on diet, physical activity and health

The EU platform for action on diet, physical activity and health provides a forum for actors at European level wishing to act to contribute to contain and reverse overweight and obesity trends. It was set up in 2005 and meets four times a year (in Brussels). The platform operates under the leadership of the European Commission whose role is to make sure that a cooperative and action-oriented approach is respected, and to ensure that the activities of the Platform are in harmony with the work of the European Network on Nutrition and Physical Activity, and with discussions in the Council and the European Parliament.

The purpose of the Platform is to provide a common forum for all interested actors at European level. It offers stakeholders an opportunity to:

• Explain their plans to contribute concretely to the pursuit of healthy nutrition, physical activity and the fight against obesity.
• Report and review outcomes and experience from “the field” in order to assemble evidence of what works and define best practices over time.
• Coordinate work across sectors, identify overlaps and develop synergies.

The Platform does not yet incorporate all possible actors, but is open to cooperate with all who can make a commitment to contribute.

EuroHealthNet is represented at each meeting and a second seat is always available if any of its members wishes to take part in the discussions.

The activities presented and discussions held during platform meetings focus on 6 main themes: 

• Consumer information, including labelling
• Education
• Physical activity promotion
• Marketing and advertising
• Composition of foods, availability of healthy food options, portion sizes
• Advocacy and information exchange

Platform members have agreed to share with each other their action plans, setting out what they intend to achieve and by what means – these are referred to as commitments. The aim is that each Platform member commit each year to devoting an increasing level of resources and effort, beyond their baselines, for current or new actions designed to meet the objectives of the Platform.

The following priority areas and target groups have been defined by the platform for 2011 – 2013

• Vulnerable groups, such as children, adolescents and low socio-economic groups
• Improvement of already existing commitments in the area of advertising and marketing to children
• Improvements of already existing commitments in the area of reformulation 
• Physical activity and Sports
• Reaching out to schools with the aim of increasing physical activity and making the healthy option available

The Commission funds several initiatives addressing nutrition and physical activity through its Public Health Programme.

For more information, visit the Health indicators on nutrition