The European Union and Nutrition

1. The European Union and Nutrition Presentation at European Health Forum, Gastein 26 September 2002 Camilla Sandvik

2. 1. Nutrition in the EU, background and introduction • 2. The Commission’s work within nutrition • 3. Nutrition and the way forward

3. I. Nutrition in the EU - introduction

4. Unhealthy Diets & Sedentary Life Styles • Responsible for: • 30-40 % of the cases of cancers • At least one third of premature deaths due to cardiovascular disease in Europe • Important determinants for the prevalence of obesity

5. Nutritional imbalance accounts for more than one hundred times more premature deaths than food-borne infections in Europe

6. Common nutritional trends in the European Union

7. Nutrition and public health - EU trends • The consumption of fruit and vegetables is still lower than recommended, especially in the northern part of the Community and in socially disadvantaged grops • The dietary intake of fat, especially of saturated fat, is too high in almost all Member States • Obesity is an increasing problem among the population of the EU, particularly amoung children and adolescents

8. The intake of cereals has fallen by 25 % since 1960 for Europe as a whole • Consumption of meat has increased, in some countries dramatically, but is now declining. Lasting trend or short-term change? • Micronutrient deficiency: in particular iron, iodine and folate at levels of public health concern

9. II. The Commission’s work within nutrition

10. The mission of DG "Health and Consumer protection" is: • To implement the responsibilities entrusted to it by the Treaty and derived legislation; • To ensure that a high level of human health and consumer protection is attained throughout the EU

11. Public health -aims and objectives • To ensure a high level of human health protection in the definition and implementation of all Community policies and activities • The Community shall take actions to improve public health in the European Union, to prevent human illness and diseases and to obviate sources of danger to human health • Amsterdam Treaty - Article 152

12. Background for action in the field of nutrition • Article 152 of the Amsterdam Treaty • The ”French initiative” - 2000 • Eurodiet (1998-2000) • The White Paper on Food Safety- 2000 • WHO action plan for food and nutrition policy for the European Region - 2000

13. Public Health Nutrition - recent developments • Development of a nutrition policy – status report on nutrition as a first step • The establishment of an Ad Hoc Group on Nutrition within the Commission • Publishing of Eurodiet core report on the web • Development of web pages on nutrition • Projects on obesity and breastfeeding

14. Development of an EU nutrition policy • Overall objective: • “Improve the health and the quality of life of the population at all stages in life, and reduce the risk of diseases by promoting healthy diets and lifestyle”

15. Objectives of an EU nutrition policy • To enable the citizens of the European Union to make healthy and well-informed choices as regards nutrition • To make the healthy choices available, affordable and attractive

16. Nutrition and the CAP • Agriculture participated in the action plan/ status report process and in the ad hoc group • Regular meetings between AGRI and public health • Public health/ nutrition consulted on all AGRI campaigns on food • Nutrition comments on CAP reform, reference to article 152

17. III. Nutrition under the new public health action programme

18. The new public health programme • One program, three strands: • Improving health information by developing a health information system • Rapid reaction towards major health threats • tackling health determinants

19. The new public health programme • 1- Improving health information: • Health monitoring • - Indicators, data collection, databases - transfer and sharing of data • Mechanisms for analysis and reporting • Consultation, information and dissemination of reports and other materialto authorities, professionals and the public

20. The new public health programme • 3- Addressing health determinants: • Strategies and measures on lifestyle-related health determinants ( tobacco, alcohol, drug dependence, nutrition, physical activity, sexual behavior, mental health) • Strategies and measures on socio-economic health determinants (health inequalities, health insurance and health service arrangements, access across borders) • Strategies and measures related to the environment

21. Nutrition and the new programme • Nutrition as key lifestyle factor/ health determinant • Actions especially targeted at young people • Improve the effectiveness of health interventions, information on major trends, support innovative projects, evaluate new technology, drawing up ”guidelines of good practice”. • Information about diet, nutritional value of foods, to encourage people to make healthy choices.

22. Nutrition in the 2003 work programme • Development of a strategy to tackle obesity? • Establishment of a Network of Member States Expert Institutes in nutrition (and physical activity)? • Further work on the action plan/ nutrition policy? • Conferences on nutrition under Greek/ Italian precidency?

23. Possible barriers • Human and financial resources • Political will • Conflicting interests and other priorities

24. More information • The European Union on-line: • http://europa.eu.int/ • http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/health_consumer/index_en.htm

25. Thank you for your attention!