Quick search
44 search result for "Physical Activity"
15.09.2025
Statement from JA PreventNCD on the Call for Evidence to the EU cardiovascular health plan
This statement and recommendations from the The Joint Action Prevent Non-Communicable Diseases (JA PreventNCD) respond to the Call for Evidence−Ares(2025)6517618 for the Initiative EU Cardiovascular Health Plan (CVH Plan). JA PreventNCD is funded under the EU4Health programme and brings together 25 European countries with the common goal of reducing the burden of cancer and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), focusing on both personal and societal risk factors. The project addresses health determinants through approaches ranging from policy interventions requiring cross-country and intersectoral collaboration to be effective, through national and local interventions promoting healthy living environments, to preventive care and risk detection, including personalized prevention. Reducing gender-related, socio-economic and geographical inequalities in health is a key priority. All measures aim to protect health equity of European citizens. Furthermore, to strengthen Member States’ abilities to respond to public health challenges, it is essential to have improved data and comprehensive monitoring systems, which include monitoring health inequalities such as those found in the European Cancer Inequalities Registry. To ensure population-level impact, JA PreventNCD was designed to address structural drivers at the population level in addition to targeting high-risk individuals. While interventions across the prevention spectrum are needed, interventions targeting individuals at risk tend to require more personal buy-in, with demands on cognitive and social resources. They therefore run the risk of widening inequalities. To improve health at a population level, it is vital that activities reduce, and with certainty do not increase, health inequalities. A health equity tool is therefore applied across interventions in JA PreventNCD to support the planning, implementation and evaluation of the project’s activities. JA PreventNCD is a unique EU investment in health promotion, NCD prevention and better equity outcomes across Europe, generating deliverables directly relevant for the CVD Plan: monitoring tools, tested best practices, policy recommendations and governance mechanisms. JA PreventNCD recommends that the interventions and initiatives below be included in the EU CVH Plan. These will contribute to lifelong prevention of CVDs and, in many cases, they will also reduce the risk of diabetes and obesity. The activities are evidence-based and supported by the Member States in the Consortium. This statement and recommendations build on inputs received from all work packages in JA PreventNCD. The recommended interventions are structured under three main areas: Early years health promotion and CVD prevention Reaching all by implementing population-level interventions Reaching individuals at risk and supporting personalized prevention
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/policy-statements-recommendations/statement-from-ja-preventncd-on-the-call-for-evidence-to-the-eu-cardiovascular-health-plan/
01.07.2025
From evidence to impact: a united call for equity-driven and sustainable action on NCDs
JACARDI, JA PreventNCD, WHO Europe, OECD and the European Commission’s DG SANTE have published a joint Comment in The Lancet Regional Health, based on the findings of the newly published report ‘Avoidable mortality, risk factors and policies for tackling NCDs: leveraging data for impact’, by WHO Europe. The Comment underscores the critical role of cross-national collaboration in translating WHO findings into actionable policies, with a focus on equity, data-driven solutions, and integrated care pathways. These organizations call for an accelerated, harmonised and equity-driven European agenda on non-communicable diseases.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/press-releases/from-evidence-to-impact-a-united-call-for-equity-driven-and-sustainable-action-on-ncds/
24.06.2025
Highlights from the JA PreventNCD annual meeting in Katowice, Poland
The JA PreventNCD project is gaining momentum across Europe, with several concrete outputs already taking shape. The project annual meeting took place on June 16-17 in Katowice, Poland. While priorities are shifting in today’s complex landscape, the prevention of noncommunicable diseases remains a top priority. Tackling persistent health inequalities and addressing social and commercial determinants of health in a structural way were highlighted as urgent tasks. Partners also emphasised the need to institutionalise stakeholder, youth, and population engagement, alongside strengthening monitoring systems as a basis for prioritising action. Evaluation and sustainability work is advancing steadily, ensuring the long-term impact of this collaborative effort.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/highlights-from-the-ja-preventncd-annual-meeting-in-katowice-poland/
07.03.2025
Advancing NCD Prevention: Key Takeaways from the Budapest ExCo Meeting
The first in-person meeting of the JA PreventNCD Executive Committee (ExCo) External Advisory Board (EEAB) meetings of 2025 were held on March 5-6, at the National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy (NNGYK) in Budapest, Hungary. These meetings are milestones for the project, bringing together work package (WP) leaders, the EEAB members and the project’s coordinators of cross-cutting themes, nutrition, physical activity, alcohol and tobacco to discuss progress, challenges and the way forward. Day 1: Strategic Discussions and Project Outcomes The meeting began with a warm welcome from Dr. Orsolya Surján, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at NNGYK, alongside Dr. Krisztina Biró Ministry of Interior, Department for Health Policy and JA PreventNCD coordinators Prof. Knut-Inge Klepp and Dr. Linda Granlund. The morning sessions focused on sustainability and best practices, with expert insights from the European Commission, WHO, and OECD on leveraging EU Best Practice Portals and WHO Best Buys for effective NCD prevention strategies. Presentations from Dr. Gauden Galea and Dr. Marion Devaux emphasized the importance of policy-driven, evidence-based approaches to public health challenges. Throughout the day, discussions covered key project outcomes and expected 2025 outputs, with leaders working on regulation and taxation, health in all policies, identifying individuals at risk, social inequalities, healthy living environments monitoring. Additionally, the participants discussed sustainability and long-term strategies for maintaining project impact beyond the Joint Action’s duration. Day 2: Evaluation, Communication, and Future Strategies Day two focused on project evaluation, covering key outcomes, methodologies, and plans for selecting implementation case studies. Later in the morning, updates on communication strategies, stakeholder mapping, and private sector involvement were shared, followed by a surprise segment and a group photo. The afternoon featured parallel meetings, with the ExCo addressing reporting, thematic coordination, and risk monitoring, while the EEAB held its own discussions. The meeting concluded with feedback from EEAB members, final reflections, and a discussion on the next steps for JA PreventNCD presented by the Chair of the Board Prof. Harry Rutter. Looking Ahead The Budapest ExCo and EEAB meetings reinforced the project’s commitment to advancing NCD prevention in Europe. With a strong foundation in place, discussions focused on how to move forward, improve strategies, and maximize impact. Work packages addressed previous feedback, fostering valuable reflections from the EEAB. Participants emphasized the importance of breaking silos, creating synergies, and aligning efforts across the initiative. As one of the largest EU4Health Joint Actions to date, JA PreventNCD aims to demonstrate meaningful impact by fostering collaboration, promoting high scientific quality, and ensuring coherence in objectives. The meeting served as a platform to evaluate progress, identify challenges, and explore solutions, laying the groundwork for the next phase of the project.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/advancing-ncd-prevention-key-takeaways-from-the-budapest-exco-meeting/
27.11.2024
Humanizing Health: Key Insights from the 7th World Innovation Summit for Health in Qatar
From November 12–14, 2024, global health leaders, policymakers, and youth advocates convened at the Qatar National Convention Centre for the 7th World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH). This year’s theme, "Humanizing Health: Conflict, Equity, and Resilience," brought attention to pressing global health issues, with a focus on the hardships experienced by populations in conflict zones, such as Gaza and Sudan, and several sessions addressing the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. Kate Ndocko, member of the Prevent NCD Youth Advisory Group (YAG), participated in the forum as a member of the WHO Youth Council and attended the first-ever WISH Youth Forum held one day before the main event. The forum brought together young healthcare professionals from Qatar and 13 members of the WHO Youth Council to exchange ideas on advancing palliative care, addressing the ethics of AI in healthcare, and building on the successes of organizations like the EMRO WHO Youth Council, the IFMSA, and the WHO Youth Council. The Youth Forum set the stage for the wider summit, emphasizing the value of youth engagement in shaping global health strategies.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/humanizing-health-key-insights-from-the-7th-world-innovation-summit-for-health-in-qatar/
31.10.2024
Making WHO European Region the Healthiest Online Environment for children: Restrict harmful marketing
JA PreventNCD is co-organizing the scientific session “Making WHO European Region the healthiest online environment for children: restrict harmful marketing”, along with WHO Euro and EUPHA, at the European Public Health Conference in Lisbon, November 2024. Marketing exposure, particularly towards children, remains a pervasive challenge, posing a significant threat to children's health and well-being. Despite WHO recommendations, few countries in the WHO European Region have introduced mandatory policies restricting marketing of unhealthy products to children. Furthermore, traditional monitoring tools struggle to keep up with automated and personalized advertisements, making reliable monitoring mechanisms and innovative tools urgently needed. The WHO Regional Office for Europe developed the KidAd platform to address this gap for a tool allowing objective and standardized monitoring of children’s exposure to digital advertising. Regional Adviser for Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, Special Initiative on NCDs and Innovation, WHO Regional Office For Europe, Kremlin Wickramasinghe (Denmark) and Amandine Garde (EUPHA-LAW), Professor of Law at the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom, will co-chair this 60-minute scientific session. Among the speakers, Olga Zhiteneva, from WHO Europe will present Innovative tools from WHO Europe to protect children from digital marketing of unhealthy products, in particular the KidAd platform, a pioneering tool developed to address these modern challenges by providing an objective product to monitor various marketing materials. The Lead of Task 5.6, Maria João Gregório from the Portuguese Directorate-General of Health, will give an overview on Collaborative efforts of the Joint Action PreventNCD and the WHO Europe to protect children from harmful marketing, focusing on the concrete collaborative actions to support the implementation of the marketing regulation: On JA work with the Member States and especially presidency countries, to allow for the discussions on the development of the EU regulation for reduction of the harmful marketing; On the EU stakeholders positions regarding marketing regulation; On the collaborative actions in scaling up the KidAd app to detect alcohol, tobacco and nicotine-containing products marketing. Finally, Iveta Nagyova, from EUPHA, will identify evidence-based behavioural strategies such as nudges, choice architecture, and social norms that can influence healthier choices, thereby reducing the impact of harmful marketing, with the presentation Leveraging Behavioural Insights to Create Healthier Online Environment for Children.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/making-who-european-region-the-healthiest-online-environment-for-children-restrict-harmful-marketing/
11.05.2026
Listening to Paiporta’s community after the DANA floods
Following the first phase of community sessions in Paiporta, the municipality’s participatory reconstruction process has provided valuable insights into residents’ needs, priorities and experiences after the DANA floods. The reconstruction of Paiporta has entered a new phase focused on citizen participation, with health promotion and non-communicable disease prevention perspectives. In this context, the municipality launched a broad participatory process aimed at identifying the actual needs of its residents. The starting point was the formation of the Paiporta Steering Group, a forum bringing together political representatives, technical experts, associations and local organisations, along with the Torrent Public Health Centre, the Paiporta Health Centre and the General Directorate of Public Health. This group helped establish a solid methodological foundation and a community-based approach from the outset. As part of the process, several community sessions have now been carried out involving a wide range of population groups. The planning included dedicated workshops with people over 60 years old, migrant communities and young people aged between 14 and 18, alongside specific meetings organised across four different areas of the municipality. At the same time, the initiative was coordinated with the Health Promoting Schools intervention, through which around one hundred secondary school students were consulted about their experiences, needs and priorities. Each neighbourhood session brought together around 65 residents of Paiporta aged between 26 and 85, with balanced participation between women and men. Nearly half of the participants held university degrees, while many others had completed higher education studies, and most had a local background. The discussions were structured using the Place Standard Tool, a participatory framework that assesses 14 dimensions of place, from mobility and public transport to social contact, safety and natural spaces. Residents scored each aspect on a scale that helps identify strengths and priorities for improvement.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/listening-to-paiporta-s-community-after-the-dana-floods/