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05.05.2026
European Public Health Week: Prioritising equity through public health investments
This article is part of a special series for European Public Health Week, highlighting how JA PreventNCD contributes to each of this year’s daily themes and supports stronger prevention across Europe. During European Public Health Week 2026, the theme for May 5 is “Prioritising equity through public health investments,” under the wider focus of “Investing for sustainable health and wellbeing.” This theme connects closely to JA PreventNCD, which aims to prevent non-communicable diseases and reduce health inequalities across Europe. As part of JA PreventNCD, the Wellbeing Economy Forum explores how societies can move upstream, from responding to disease and inequality after they occur, towards investing in the conditions that shape health, wellbeing and participation. The Forum is also about redefining success: asking not only whether economies are growing, but whether they enable people, communities and ecosystems to flourish.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/european-public-health-week-prioritising-equity-through-public-health-investments/
29.04.2026
Health-Friendly Companies
This editorial is featured in the Healthy Living Environment Newsletter #2. You can subscribe here to stay updated. Cancer and other chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent a significant part of the disease burden in Europe, much of which is preventable. The Joint Action to Prevent Non-communicable Diseases (JA PreventNCD) is designed to address this challenge by supporting strategies and policies aimed at reducing the burden of cancer and NCDs, focusing on personal and social risk factors. The task for “Increasing availability of healthy products” mobilize actions on the determinants of health through the political commitment by intersectoral policies and the participation of the community at local level; promoting social cohesion to co-create actions for healthy living environments with equity perspective. The workplace, where people spend a large part of their time and their entire lives, is precisely the area where personal and environmental factors related to health habits either confront or positively combine. This clash of personal habits and health conditions in the work environment can have a synergistic effect on the individual in both a good and a bad direction. However, the fact is that it is easier to spoil the good habits of an individual if there are no supporting conditions, than to expect that all healthy habits will survive and that the individual will positively influence the problematic work environment and change it for the better. Therefore, the intervention of society (workplace, employer, local or national government) is indispensable for positive developments in preserving the health of the individual and society as a whole. The specific objectives we are focused on are: to implement workplace policies that will contribute to the workers opting for the healthier choice, reduce health inequalities, reduce the availability of alcohol and smoking and encourage physical activity and a socially acceptable work environment.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/editorials/health-friendly-companies/
23.03.2026
Norway’s progress on restricting unhealthy food marketing to children offers lessons for Europe
A seminar co-hosted by the Norwegian Directorate of Health and the JA PreventNCD brought together policymakers, researchers, youth representatives and public health stakeholders to reflect on Norway’s progress in regulating the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages to children. The event highlighted an important national milestone and its relevance for countries across Europe facing similar public health challenges. For JA PreventNCD, the seminar also showed why Norway’s experience matters beyond its borders. The long road towards stronger regulation, the questions now emerging around implementation and monitoring, and the need for international cooperation all point to the value of shared learning at European level.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/norway-s-progress-on-restricting-unhealthy-food-marketing-to-children-offers-lessons-for-europe/
13.03.2026
Sleep as a Key Public Health Priority in the Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases
Sleep is increasingly recognised as a fundamental pillar of health, on the same level with nutrition and physical activity. At the same time, sleep is closely intertwined with stress regulation and broader physiological recovery processes. Adequate and regular sleep supports metabolic, cardiovascular, cognitive, and mental health, while insufficient or disrupted sleep is associated with an increased risk of several non-communicable diseases (NCDs). For this reason, sleep should not be treated as a secondary lifestyle factor but rather as a core component of prevention strategies aimed at reducing the burden of NCDs. Integrating sleep into public health agendas can therefore strengthen prevention policies and contribute to a more comprehensive approach to population health.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/blog/sleep-as-a-key-public-health-priority-in-the-prevention-of-non-communicable-diseases/
30.01.2026
Editorial: First 1.000 days of life
Why should Europe and public health systems invest in the first 1.000 days of life, from pregnancy to a child’s second birthday? What does this early window have to do with the development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) decades later? The answer lies in a growing and compelling body of evidence: the foundations of lifelong health are laid well before birth. Since the 1980s, David Barker demonstrated the link between adverse conditions during fetal life and early infancy, particularly poor nutrition, and an increased risk of chronic diseases in adulthood, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. This work laid the scientific foundations for what is now widely known as the “first 1,000 days” concept. The first 1.000 days represent a uniquely sensitive period in which biological, social, and environmental exposures interact to shape metabolic regulation, immune function, cognitive development, and health-related behaviours. Crucially, this phase also constitutes an extraordinary window of opportunity: expectant parents and caregivers are often highly motivated and receptive to revisiting their health-related choices to secure the best possible start in life for their babies. Investing upstream during this critical period is therefore not only a matter of child wellbeing; it is a strategic lever for preventing NCDs, reducing health inequalities, and strengthening the long-term sustainability of European health systems.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/editorials/editorial-first-1000-days-of-life/
23.01.2026
Healthier eating in schools and kindergartens
Early childhood is a critical window for establishing healthy eating habits that shape health and well-being across the life course. Dietary patterns formed during childhood and adolescence are strongly associated with the risk of non-communicable diseases later in life, making schools and kindergartens key settings for health promotion. Within JA PreventNCD, pilot interventions in Croatia and Slovenia are addressing food environments through integrated, participatory and community-based approaches. The main objective of croatian implementing sites is to put into practice and evaluate an integrated approach to address physical activity and food environments as main determinants of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in learning environments. Intervention into the school and preschool setting are based on activities from the national health promotion program Healthy Living. Two locations were specifically selected: Elementary School Milka Trnina in Zagreb County and Kindergarten Siget in the City of Zagreb. Kindergarten Siget was selected as implementation site for its size, diverse socioeconomic profile, and strong institutional and community capacity. Work is being developed by a multidisciplinary core group, including kindergarten staff, public health professionals, local authorities, as well as a teacher and a parent representative, ensuring effective coordination and community engagement.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/healthier-eating-in-schools-and-kindergartens/
26.01.2026
Breastfeeding, most powerful shield in emergencies
Infants and young children are among the most vulnerable populations in emergency settings, where disruptions to essential services, unsafe water, overcrowding and heightened stress sharply increase the risk of malnutrition, diarrhea and respiratory infections. In these contexts, breastfeeding provides safe, accessible and immunologically active nourishment, protecting infants even when mothers face distress, displacement or limited resources. It becomes a vital life-saving practice. Beyond its biological value, breastfeeding is anchored in WHO and UNICEF global normative frameworks such as the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding and the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, which emphasise the need to protect, promote and support optimal feeding practices from birth. These documents recognise the right of every mother and child to accurate information, skilled support, and protection from commercial and social practices that may undermine breastfeeding. Despite its protective role, emergencies frequently witness the uncontrolled distribution of breast-milk substitutes, often donated without assessment, monitoring or guidance. Such practices can be dangerous, particularly when clean water, fuel, and sanitation are insufficient to prepare formula safely. There is a need for robust preparedness systems and community infrastructure capable of safeguarding optimal infant feeding practices before, during, and after emergencies. Preparedness is therefore a crucial component of resilience. In the framework of JA PreventNCD, these principles resonate strongly with the objectives of Healthy Living Environments, which focuses on creating healthy living environments through integrated, community-based interventions across the life course. Embedding Infant Feeding in Emergencies preparedness within JA PreventNCD’s work strengthens community resilience by ensuring that local health systems and social infrastructures are equipped to safeguard infant nutrition even during crises. This directly contributes to the overarching goal of promoting health equity and preventing non-communicable diseases from the earliest stages of life, particularly among vulnerable or marginalised groups. During 2025 actions have been taken to promote Infant Feeding Emergencies. Under the lead of Italian National Institute of Health, a training session was held in the municipality of Palestrina (Rome, Italy), integrated into a large-scale earthquake simulation and emergency camp. Around 30 participants, including emergency responders and volunteers, took part in the training, which provided them with basic knowledge and tools to address maternal and child nutrition in crisis contexts, in line with current international guidelines. This aim was further consolidated through the international online workshop “Infant Feeding in Emergencies: Strengthening Baby-Friendly Communities for Resilience and Preparedness”. The session framed infant and young child feeding in emergencies as a public health priority and a structural component of health system resilience, bringing together WHO, PAHO and international field experiences. Contributions highlighted good practices and operational tools from diverse emergency contexts, illustrating how breastfeeding support, appropriate management of breast-milk substitutes and the integration of infant feeding into community services and emergency plans can save lives and strengthen long-term health and equity.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/breastfeeding-most-powerful-shield-in-emergencies/