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30.03.2026
Second JA PreventNCD online meeting in Greece focuses on progress, prevention and health inequalities
On 18 and 20 March 2026, the second online meeting with the affiliated entities within the framework of JA PreventNCD took place in Greece to discuss progress to date. The meeting brought together representatives of the Ministry of Health, public institutions working in the field of public health, and members of the scientific and academic community. The main topics of discussion were Greece’s participation in the Joint Action work packages, as well as recent developments in the field of prevention and in addressing social inequalities, both of which are closely linked to JA PreventNCD. Among the examples highlighted was the “Artemis” Programme, which aims to help adolescents develop healthy habits that will benefit them both now and in the future. The programme includes informative actions on healthy eating, the strengthening of daily physical activity, the prevention of smoking and vaping, and limiting alcohol consumption. It also involves the creation of relevant educational material with the participation of students. The meeting also highlighted the participation of many health structures in the pilot implementation for the creation of Health Structures and Communities Friendly to Infants and Breastfeeding. These structures provide information and continuous support to breastfeeding women and their families, while also offering prenatal and postnatal courses. They are interconnected with secondary and tertiary health structures and implement actions at community level. In addition, they adopt a Written Breastfeeding Policy, committing themselves to the implementation of good practices in support of the health of both mother and infant. This written policy is displayed in a visible place within the structures. A key priority linked to Greece’s participation in JA PreventNCD is the commitment to addressing health inequalities. For this reason, there is a strong focus on health literacy, with the aim of enabling every citizen not only to understand basic information about their health, but also to use this knowledge to improve it and develop essential skills. Alongside this, prevention programmes such as “PROLAMVANO”, initiatives against childhood obesity, and mental health programmes are being advanced to help ensure that no child and no family is left behind.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/second-ja-preventncd-online-meeting-in-greece-focuses-on-progress-prevention-and-health-inequalities/
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/
18.03.2026
The First Stakeholder Meeting of JA PreventNCD in Poland
“Health is not just a genetic code, but also a postal code.” This sentence accurately reflects the approach to public health in Europe. Our health is greatly influenced by the environment we live in every day – what products are available in stores, what meals look like in schools or hospitals, and whether the spaces around us support physical activity and healthy choices. The JA PreventNCD project is a joint European initiative aimed at strengthening the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. It brings together partners from across Europe to develop, test, and implement effective, evidence-based solutions at both national and local levels. A key focus of the project is creating environments that support healthier choices and contribute to reducing health inequalities, ultimately improving the quality of life of populations across Europe. This is what was discussed during the First Stakeholders Meeting of JA PreventNCD in Poland, which took place online on March 11, 2026, and was organised by the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice. It was a milestone event introducing the project to those who have the power to make real changes in the country and influence public health policies. The meeting brought together representatives of public institutions, local governments, the scientific community, and organisations working in the field of public health. The meeting was opened by Vice-Rector for Science at the Medical University of Silesia Professor Oskar Kowalski, MD, PhD and Katarzyna Brukało, PhD, Assoc. Prof. at the Medical University of Silesia and Project Coordinator in Poland. Participants were also welcomed by the Project Partners in Poland – Mayor of the City of Zabrze, Kamil Żbikowski, representatives of the City of Rybnik and Anna Bulzacka-Bogucka, Project Advisor at HaDEA. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Health, the National Health Fund, the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate, local authorities, as well as schools, kindergartens, foundations, associations, scientific societies, and other institutions involved in public health initiatives. The discussion focused on local and regional actions that, within the framework of the JA PreventNCD project, can have a real impact on residents’ health – such as monitoring the food environment, developing sustainable public food procurement, and creating health-promoting spaces, including through the development of green areas, bike paths, and smoke-free zones. Public health is not achieved in isolation. To effectively prevent chronic diseases, it is necessary to build collaboration between science, public administration, local governments, and social organisations. Engaging stakeholders is an essential part of this process. By bringing together representatives from various sectors, the meeting provided a valuable platform for exchanging knowledge, identifying shared challenges, and exploring opportunities for collaboration. It also marked an important step towards building a national network of partners who can actively contribute to shaping policies and actions that promote healthier lifestyles and environments in Poland. The attendance and engagement of the participants was very encouraging and gives great hope for the future of this collaboration. This was the first stakeholder meeting in the country, but certainly not the last.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/the-first-stakeholder-meeting-of-ja-preventncd-in-poland/
18.03.2026
From Strategies to Action: A Future Without Non-Communicable Diseases - Slovenian National Stakeholder Forum
“It is important to understand all the parameters that influence the competitiveness of a society, which is not economic growth alone, but also the health and wellbeing of individuals.” This was a key message that emerged in the Slovenian national stakeholder forum. On 11 March 2026, the National Institute of Public Health organised the National Stakeholder Meeting of the JA PreventNCD, aimed at presenting the activities of the Joint Action from the Slovenian side and exchanging knowledge among key national stakeholders in the field of preventing non-communicable diseases. The event programme followed several thematic segments. In the introductory part, it included a keynote lecture on the use of quantitative models and artificial intelligence in evaluating public health policies, as well as presentations of the objectives and activities of the JA PreventNCD. The discussion highlighted the importance of high-quality, connected data systems, which are essential for informed decision-making. This was followed by presentations of individual thematic work packages of the Joint Action, with emerging key messages: Tobacco, nicotine, and alcohol: legislation works only if it is properly enforced. Public food procurement: a powerful tool for population change. Breastfeeding-friendly communities: there is still a spread of misinformation. Cancer monitoring: improved data integration enables better understanding of costs, disease pathways, and recurrence. Sleep as a public health issues highlights sleep as a key pillar of health. Healthy communities: local pilot initiatives such as healthy food in kindergarten, shows that change can start at the community level. Youth engagement: the Youth Advisory Group demonstrates that youth can be active contributors in the effort of reducing the burden of non-communicable disease. The event concluded with a presentation of work on the sustainability of the project, which places particular emphasis on the concept of the wellbeing economy – with the aim of creating measures that promote quality of life while not exceeding planetary capacities. During the event, participants acknowledged and encouraged the importance of work on the prevention of non-communicable diseases and the promotion of healthy lifestyles through measures to reduce tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy food consumption, and by encouraging physical activity. Only with shared societal effort, there can be a real lever for change. The event successfully brought together key stakeholders of the Joint Action and highlighted the importance of coordinated measures for the prevention of non-communicable diseases at the European, national, and regional levels of Member States.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/from-strategies-to-action-a-future-without-non-communicable-diseases-slovenian-national-stakeholder-forum/
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/
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/
22.01.2026
Piloting a new Digital Audit Tool on Playgrounds
Last year, within the work on Healthy Urban Environments, an audit tool for assessing the quality of playgrounds and schoolyards was developed. The audit tool aims to support municipalities and local stakeholders in systematically assessing and improving the quality of playgrounds and schoolyards to promote physical activity, and inclusive play. The results are expected to inform local planning processes and evidence-based decision-making. The preliminary version of the questionnaire was developed based on an extensive literature review and was subsequently presented and co-created through focus groups with key stakeholders in Greece and Germany. This process highlighted cultural differences as well as important directions for the further improvement and contextual adaptation of the tool. The categories of the quality assessment are: access and surrounding neighborhood design and equipment condition and cleanliness safety inclusion and accessibility. The German version of the tool was digitalized and is available on an existing website promoting physical activity in municipalities, run by the Federal Institute of Public Health (BIÖG). In Greece, the team from the Harokopio University is currently in the process of digitalization of the tool. The National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy of Hungary is also participating in the pilot as an observer. In this role, the institution ensures its support for the implementation process and follows the project activities closely. All partners from the three countries are sharing local experiences and insights to support mutual learning and future improvements.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/piloting-a-new-digital-audit-tool-on-playgrounds/