European Health Forum Gastein 2025

Organised by the Austrian National Public Health Institute (Gesundheit Österreich GmbH)

Session format: Walking session - No special gear needed but please dress appropriately for the weather, and wear comfortable footwear. 

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) represent a significant portion of the disease burden in Europe, even though many of them are preventable. Therefore, the European Union (EU) commissioned the Joint Action Non-Communicable Diseases (JA PreventNCD) – the largest Joint Action in public health to date – engaging national authorities to minimise fragmentation and duplication. It emphasises that health is created by policies across sectors, and thus, it is crucial to consider the health and health equity implications of these policies. Addressing socioeconomic disparities and social determinants that influence exposure to major risk factors for NCDs is vital for this initiative.

The event will be a dynamic, interactive session with a walk through the scenic Kurpark and along the Gasteiner Ache, offering an informal setting for discussion. This unique session will feature pitch presentations on emerging trends in the most pressing areas in NCD prevention, the role of EU initiatives, the impact of public food procurement policies, and regulatory approaches to unhealthy food such as marketing and taxation. The session ends with reflections by two keynote listeners: A representative of the Austrian Ministry of Health and a youth representative of the Youth Advisory Group of JA PreventNCD.

SPEAKERS

• Herwig Ostermann, Executive Director, Austrian Public Health Institute
• Knut-Inge Klepp, Scientific Coordinator, JA PreventNCD
• Hanna Tolonen, Director of Research, Development and Innovation, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare in Helsinki
• Sanja Šišović, President, International Youth Health Organization
• Johannes Pleiner-Duxneuner, Managing Director, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety
• Betina Bergman Madsen, Head of Procurement and Team Leader for Municipality of Copenhagen

Moderator

• Gabriele Gruber, Senior Health Expert, Austrian National Public Health Institute

Read more about the event her.