Nutrition & Diet for Healthy Lifestyles in Europe Supported by the European Commission, Directorate General for Health & Consumer Protection & The Ministry of Health, Greece. Organized by University of Crete School of Medicine
European guidelines for diet-related disease prevention & health promotion. State of the art : the relationships between health and nutrients translating nutrient targets into effective foodbased dietary guidelines (FBDG) effective ways of encouraging health promoting changes in eating and physical activity patterns and the opportunities and barriers posed by the broader policy framework Actions: required to take the scientific recommendations forward Added value of EU level policy and structures.
Population goals for nutrients and features of lifestyle consistent with the prevention of major public health problems in Europe Component Population goals Levels of evidence Physical Activity Levels (PAL) PAL > 1.75 3 ++ Adult Body Weight as BMI BMI 21-22 ++ Dietary Fat % E <30 3 ++ Fatty Acids % total E Saturated < 10 ++++ Trans <2 ++ Polyunsaturated (PUFA) n-6 4-8 +++ n-3 2 g linolenic + 200 mg very long chain ++ Carbohydrates Total % E >55 +++ Sugary food consumption, occasions per day 4 4 ++ Fruit and Vegetables (g.d -1 ) >400 ++ Folate from food (µg.d -1 ) >400 +++ Dietary Fibre (g.d -1 ) >25 (or 3g/MJ) ++ Sodium (expressed as sodium chloride) (g.d -1 ) <6 +++ Iodine (µg/d) 150 (infants - 50)(pregnancy - 200) +++ Exclusive Breast Feeding About 6 months +++
The process Review of the Scientific Evidence Working Parties 1 4 INTERNET Key Conclusions CONFERENCE Issues which are candidate topics for policy recommendations of the Steering Committee PUBLICATIONS (Public Health Nutrition supplements 2A, 2B April 2001) Policy Recommendations EU Commission Parliament - Member States
Range of nutrient intakes % fat energy % SFA energy 50 GR B 22 20 A GER 45 A NL 40 IT FIN 35 S GER 18 16 FIN S 14 GR NL 30 12 25 10 20 8 6
Range of nutrient intakes 45 40 Fibre (g/day) 35 B 30 GER FIN G R 25 NL A IRL SP 20 15 10 5 Folate (µg/day) 400 UK 350 FIN IT SP 300 NL* IRL 250 SW 200 150 100 50 0
European Diet and Public Health : The continuing challenge. Prevalent health conditions cardiovascular diseases cancer obesity osteoporosis iron deficiency disorders iodine deficiency disorders dental caries Genetic variations
infants elderly Population sub-groups pregnant woman immigrants Lifestyle factors breastfeeding physical activity Particular nutrients selenium folate
Suggested strategies for key target groups, settings, and approaches Key Target Groups From the General Public to population subgroups Professionals : health service,education and other sectors Key Settings Schools Health Care Workplace Commercial Sector Key Approaches Advocacy Local/ Community Food projects
Health Education Legislation Community Development PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION STRATEGIES Organizational Change Re-orientation of Services Fiscal Change
Structures The European Policy Framework : Barriers and Opportunities A new nutrition committee for the European Union Policy Development Special issues Fruit & vegetable consumption Breast feeding Physical activity Policy Components Education Consumer Protection Food labeling Food composition Agricultural policy
EVALUATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY STRATEGIES Monitor progress over time in Europe and comparisons between member states Pan European evaluation system is needed to assess morbidity, mortality, health and nutritional status as well as social and environmental variables Assessing knowledge, attitudes, lifestyles and channels of communication
NUTRITION POLICY FINLAND 1968 First Nordic nutritional recommendations Target groups: Finnish population Pupils and students at schools Students in Universities Students of vocational schools Hospital patients Working places Pregnant women Mothers with infants and children Elderly persons Military personnel and prisoners Daycare children Athletes Wide range of policy decisions: Agriculture Health and Welfare Social Affairs Trade and Commerce Fisheries and Finance having direct and indirect impact on food consumption in Finland
NUTRITION POLICY GREECE The national policy in Nutrition in its infancy
Life expectancy at birth, in years, males, in selected EU countries (from WHO, 2000) yrs 76 74 72 70 68 66 GREECE EJCN 2002; 56: 796-809 FINLAND 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 Finland France Greece Italy Netherlands
300 250 200 150 100 50 0 268 Age-standardized 25-year Mortality per 1000 from Coronary Heart Disease in 16 Cohorts of the 7 Countries Study 180 169 160 116 106 93 87 80 60 54 48 43 36 30 25 Greece - Crete West Finland The Netherlands - Zutphen USA - Rail Serbia - Belgrade Italy - Crevalcore Italy - Rome Croatia - Slavonia Italy - Montegiorgio Dalmatia - Croatia Greece - Corfu Japan - Ushibuka East Finland CHD Mortality per 1000
Age-standardized premature death rate (SDR) trends in Greece, Finland, Netherlands and Italy for ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease (from WHO, 2000) Males <65 y/100.000 SDR/100.000 250 200 150 100 50 0 50 40 30 20 70 73 76 Ischemic heart disease 79 82 85 88 91 Cerebrovascular disease 94 97 10 0 70 73 76 79 82 85 88 91 94 97 year EJCN 2002; 56: 796-809 FIN GR I NL
BODY MASS INDEX IN MEN OF FINLAND AND CRETE (GREECE) 29 28 29 28 Farmers 27 WOMEN 27 kg/m2 26 25 MEN kg/m2 26 25 Lawyers 24 24 23 23 Seven countries Study 22 1972 1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 22 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL IN MEN OF FINLAND AND CRETE (GREECE) 280 280 270 260 MEN 270 260 mg/dl 250 240 230 220 WOMEN mg/dl 250 240 230 FARMER 210 200 220 210 Seven Countries Study 190 1972 1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 200 190 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
SATURATED FAT INTAKE (% of energy) IN MEN OF FINLAND AND CRETE (GREECE) 23 23 21 21 19 19 17 17 % 15 13 % 15 13 Adolescents 11 11 Farmers 9 9 Lawyers Seven Countries Study 7 1972 1982 1992 1997 7 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
European nutrition policy : the Roadmap? Commission s White Paper on Food Safety (2000) Council Resolution on health and nutrition (2001) Food based dietary guidelines for the Europeans (framework) EURODIET 1998-2001 But momentum within the EU appears to have stalled rather than the anticipated action plan geared to the development of a comprehensive and coherent nutrition policy Status Report on the European Commission s work in the field of nutrition in Europe (October 2002). EU recently endorsed to WHO European Region Action Plan for food and nutrition policy
This paper was produced for a meeting organized by Health & Consumer Protection DG and represents the views of its author on the subject. These views have not been adopted or in any way approved by the Commission and should not be relied upon as a statement of the Commission's or Health & Consumer Protection DG's views. The European Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper, nor does it accept responsibility for any use made thereof.