Quick search
46 search result for "Physical Activity"
23.09.2025
Youth Voices at the Heart of Europe’s Cardiovascular Health Plan
On 22 September, the Youth Advisory Group (YAG) of the JA PreventNCD took part in the European Commission’s online consultation on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The consultation was convened by DG SANTE as part of preparations for a new EU Cardiovascular Health (CVH) Plan. CVDs remain the leading cause of mortality in Europe, claiming over 1.7 million lives each year and costing the EU an estimated EUR 280 billion annually. The event gave young people living with or at risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as youth advocates, an opportunity to directly share their experiences and expectations with policymakers. The consultation, led by Antonio Parenti, director at DG SANTE, was framed around key questions from the European Commission, including how to support healthy lifestyles, ensure equal access to care, improve communication with young people, and shape a future EU prevention strategy. Youth delegates responded with lived experiences and concrete recommendations.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/news-updates/youth-voices-at-the-heart-of-europe-s-cardiovascular-health-plan/
19.09.2025
From Car Streets to People Streets: Health and Sustainability in Action
From 16 to 22 September, Europe celebrates the European Mobility Week, an initiative led by the European Commission that invites cities to rethink how we move and to discover healthier, more sustainable alternatives to private cars. Each year, hundreds of municipalities organize activities to promote walking, cycling, and public transport. Pilot actions such as temporary street closures or pop-up cycle lanes allow citizens to experience a different way of living the city. This week is not only about mobility: it is an opportunity to talk about health. Urban space and the way it is designed have a direct impact on quality of life. The air we breathe, the safety of our streets, or the opportunities for physical activity all depend on how transport and the city are planned. When cars dominate, pollution and noise increase, opportunities for walking and play decrease, and inequalities between neighborhoods deepen. In contrast, when active mobility and green spaces are prioritized, both physical and mental wellbeing improve, and the city becomes safer and more cohesive. It is in this context that the Joint Action on Cancer and other NCDs prevention – action on health determinants (JA PreventNCD) was created, co-funded by the EU4Health programme. More than 100 organizations from 25 countries are working together with a common goal: to prevent non-communicable diseases —such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, or diabetes— and to reduce health inequalities. One of the most relevant lines of work focuses on healthy urban environments, exploring how mobility and urban planning policies can help reduce risk factors while at the same time making cities more liveable. A concrete example of this approach is the transformation of spaces around schools. Several European cities are promoting so-called school streets: areas where motorized traffic is restricted or eliminated, at least during drop-off and pick-up times. These measures bring multiple benefits: they improve the air children breathe, reduce the risk of accidents, encourage families to walk or cycle, and turn the school environment into a calmer and safer place. They also open up opportunities for community use, such as educational or recreational activities in the street. JA PreventNCD is studying how these initiatives are being put into practice: which political and social factors make them possible, which obstacles appear, and what results they produce for health and wellbeing. The aim is to learn from experience and to provide useful recommendations for other municipalities, both in the Valencian region and across Europe. In this sense, the European Mobility Week is a perfect framework to show how local actions can contribute to broader goals. The pilot projects and car-free streets that take place during these days prove that it is possible to imagine and build cities differently. What begins as a public awareness activity can end up becoming a permanent policy with great impact on public health. Cities are home to more than 70% of Europe’s population, and this proportion continues to grow. Deciding what kind of cities we want is also deciding how we want to live. Choosing active mobility, cleaner air, and safe, green spaces means choosing a future with less disease and greater equity. The European Mobility Week reminds us that every step counts. Through JA PreventNCD, we work to ensure that these transformations are not isolated exceptions, but part of a coherent strategy to build healthier and more resilient cities. Cities where everyday journeys become a source of wellbeing rather than risk. Cities that put people at the centre, and make the right to health a shared reality. Author: Alejandro Parra Alejandro works at Fisabio in Valencia, Spain and is a member of the team that focuses on Healthy Living Environments (WP6) in JA PreventNCD. He leads the pilot on the mapping of the current interventions on car-free areas in the cities and/or around schools and other child settings, as well as school playgrounds redevelopments.
https://www.preventncd.eu/newsroom/cross-cutting-themes/from-car-streets-to-people-streets-health-and-sustainability-in-action/
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/