Current developments on health promotion and public

health in Europe

Walter BaerEuropean Commission

Health and Consumers DG

5. Steirische GesundheitskonferenzGraz – 22 June 2010

Overview1. Role of Community on health2. Current and future health

challenges3. EU Health strategy and Health Programme4. Activities in the field of health determinants5. Children and Young People

Evolution of health action

specific public health role created in 1992 by the Maastricht Treaty – and still developing

but health has always been an important part of Community policies

The public health articleSupport to Member States through networks and projects

Policy actions

Legislation to set European standards

Blood pressureCholesterol

TobaccoHigh Body Mass Index

Fruit and vegetable intakePhysical inactivity

AlcoholUrban air pollution

Lead exposureOccupational carcinogens

Illicit drugsUnsafe sex

Occupational particulatesOccupational risk factors for injury

Future Challenges - Current Strategies

Pharmaceutical Forum

Health information and Health Portal

European Centre of Disease preventionOrgane Donation

Interactions with WHO

Health services Initiative

Health investments in the Structural Funds

White paper on Nutrition Communication on Alcohol Tobacco control strategy

Health determinants

Unhealthy diet

Physical inactivity

Tobacco use

Alcohol

CVD Cancer Type 2

diabetes COPD Mental

health Musculoskeletal

disorders Oral

health Figure: Causal factors of major non-communicable disease

Preventable deaths and illness 35,000 young people aged 15-24 years die each year (EU15)Accidents commonest cause of death (65%), followed by suicide15 to 20% mental disorder

Overweight and Obesity in the EU: Scene setter Obesity levels in the EU have risen by between 10-40% over the

past decade. Range of obesity prevalence in EU countries is from 10% to 27%

in men and up to 38% in women. Number of EU children affected by overweight (BMI >25) is

estimated to be rising by more than 1,300,000 a year, of these 300,000 are becoming obese

Across the entire EU25, overweight affects almost 1 in 4 children

By 2010 estimated that 26 million children will be overweight and 6.4 million will be obese

Obesity accounts for up to 7% of health care costs. In the EU, 9.6% of disability-adjusted life-years are lost due to

poor nutrition, obesity and physical inactivity (compared with 9% due to smoking).

White Paper on a Strategy on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity related health issues

Better informing the consumer, such as through better labelling on food products Making the healthy option available, such as making fruits and vegetables available to schools Encouraging physical activity, such as by encouraging community initiatives or by raising awareness of Community funds to develop the physical environment to encourage walking/cycling and other forms of activityFocus on priority groups and settings, such as children and schoolsDeveloping the evidence base to support policy making, such as by carrying out research into behaviour change in relation to food and nutrition Developing monitoring systems, such as by working with the WHO to identify effective local actions

TobaccoWeekly smoking rates: 2% among 11- year-olds, 8% among 13-year-olds, and 24% among 15-year-olds prevalence of weekly smoking among 15-year-old girls higher than that of boys in 18 mainly western European countries, in the others, girls are catching upEurobarometer among 15 – 24 year olds: 57% have never smoked, 8% used to smoke but have stopped and 35% are smokers. Starting age: 10-12 years, boys ealier than girls

Tobacco policyLegislation

Advertising, Warning messages and picturesProductsLink to international work (FCTC)

Prevention work: Youth campaigns2002-2004: ‘Feel free to say no’2005-2008: ‘HELP’ - 72 Mio €2009-2011: ‘HELP 2.0’ – 16,84 Mio € for 2009

Network tobacco control initiativesExchange Best Practice and develop European projects

Help - anti-tobacco campaignFocus on:

PreventionCessationPassive smoking

Target:Young people aged 15 to 24Young adults aged 25 to 35

Motto: providing help and support by delivering information onhealth and social problems related to tobacco consumption, tips and advice not to start, help to quit, on passive smokingEU actions on tobacco control and national actions

Conducted in partnership with communication experts, tobacco control professionals and Youth representatives.

Help - anti-tobacco campaignIntegrated communication campaign in 27 Member States with a comprehensive action scheme including:

Media: TV spots on 96 national and Pan-European channelsInternet: e-mail coaching, viral marketing (Nicomarket), banners and video placementsHelp website available in 22 languagesA series of national events (CO measurements, Youth Manifesto promotion)

After 3 years of the campaign (since March 2005):172 million Europeans remember seeing the TV campaign3.9 billion contacts via the media campaign (TV + Online)60% of young Europeans remember having seen at least one TV film77% of all Europeans and 83% of the under 25 target like the adverts.5.2 million visits to the Help website Over 640 events run Europe-wide, and 210,000 CO tests performedOver 104,000 subscribers to the e-mail coaching programmeOver 5,000 articles and reports in the media to date

Mental Health – dimensionsHealth: at least 11% of population experience mental disorders. Each year, there are about 90,000 deaths from mental and behavioural disorders and 60,000 from suicideEconomic: a loss of 3-4% of the EU‘s GDP. Main factor: productivity losses through absenteeism and reduced work performance.Social: Disadvantaged groups face a greater risk of mental illness. People with mental disorders may face stigma, discrimination and social exclusion.

Mental health2005: Helsinki conference – WHO/EU2005: Green paper consultation – open and structured2008: European Pact and conference

Suicide and depressionYoung people and educationWorkplaceThe elderly

2008:Eurobarometer on Mental Health of Children and Young People2009: Thematic Conference on the promotion of mental health and well-being of Children and Young People

Recommendations for Educational Settings and LearningIncluding social and emotional learning programmes and life skill education at pre-school and school settingsDevelopment of national action plans on mental health promotion in educational settingsHigh quality and easily available psycho-social support for pupils, students and teachersAssure cooperation between educational settings, parents and communities Non-formal and informal learning opportunities developed within, around and outside educational settings

Alcohol 25% of men and 10% of women consume too much alcohol 30% of 15 year old girls 37% of 15 year old boys report being drunk twice or more7,5% of all ill health and early death in EU195,000 premature deaths per yearin EU60 acute or chronic diseases caused by excessive alcohol consumptionup to 25% of male premature deaths and up to 10% of female premature deaths caused by excessive alcohol consumption

Alcohol2006: Communication on alcohol-related harm

Young people and childrenRoad traffic and drink drivingAdults and the workplaceInformation and awareness raisingEvidence baseWork across policies and with Member States

2007: Alcohol and Health Forum2009: 1ST Progress Report on the implementation of the EU alcohol strategy

The way forwardComprehensive approaches – looking at young personalitiesLife skills? Resilience? ‘Kinder stark machen’? Partnerships for health across society and locallyWork with young people and their organisationsSchools are key

Projects from the Public Health Programme – some examples

Shape Up – towards a European network for obesity prevention in childrenCSAP – Child Safety Action ProgrammeENHPS I & II – European Network of Health Promoting schoolsEPODE (Together Let's Prevent Childhood Obesity)In Form – Campaign against obesity in children and adolescentsSmokefree Class CompetitionTen D by Night (Dark, Dance, Disco, Dose, Drugs, Drive, Danger, Damage, Disability, Death)SWEET Project – Better control in paediatric and adolescent diabetes in the EU

Involve young people more closely in EU health policies

Strengthen youth partnership in the decision making process

Involve other sectors across EU policy areas and at national level on the implementation of prevention programs targeted at young people

Support Member States' activities on the health of young people

The Youth health initiative: aims

The Youth health initiativeA roadmap on Youth health:4 priorities on

Empowerment and participation

Inequalities and vulnerability

Communicating health

Mainstreaming these principles across EU health policy

The Youth health initiativeEmpowerment and participation (e.g.):

Development of a strategy to improve young people's sexual healthInvolvement of young people and a youth event during the 5th Ministerial Conference on Environment and HealthOrganisation of a Youth-health specific event in Torino, European Youth Capital 2010

Communicating health (e.g.)Establishment of a Clearing House of activities and projects on alcohol and youth healthWorkshop on tobacco control and information with the medical student working group established within the HELP 2.0 campaign

The Youth health initiativeInequalities and vulnerability (e.g.):

The European Conference on Injury prevention and safety promotionWorkshop, in cooperation with the European Youth Forum, on how to reach and engage unorganised Youth and to raise their awareness on health issuesWorkshop on drugs and young people

Tools (e.g.)Further development of actions on social networks (already in Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=62728639670) Development of an electronic network on youth healthFurther development of the Youth Health website

http://ec.europa.eu/health-eu/youth/index_en.htm

Further Information

Public Health Portalhttp://health.europa.eu

SANCO Web Sitehttp://ec.europa.eu/health

Thank you very much for your attention!