16-04-2021
Healthier and greener cities can benefit urban economies as well
Living in cities has been linked to higher exposure to pollution, lack of physical exercise, and a resulting increase in noncommunicable diseases. However, innovations in urban design can reverse this trend and show how cities can make people’s health better. Experts gathered at the WHO Urban Design for Health online symposium 14–16 April to share success stories that are already having an impact across the WHO European Region.
More people, more cars, more pollution For decades our city has been getting more crowded, says Erlijn Mulder, a strategic advisor for the city of Utrecht, Netherlands, which has been at the forefront of urban design for health. There are more people, more cars, more pollution, more heat. How do we cope?”
15-04-2021
Alex Plonsky
The WHO-recommended “best buys” for alcohol policy can easily help countries to reduce health harms related to alcohol consumption. But according to the new WHO/Europe report “Making the WHO European Region SAFER. Developments in alcohol control policies, 2010–2019”, not many Member States use these measures. Experience from Lithuania, Scotland and the Russian Federation shows how effective they can be when countries choose to implement them.
The WHO European Region has the highest level of alcohol consumption in the world. Here, alcohol use leads to almost 1 million deaths each year, or about 2500 deaths every day, and is associated with more than 200 diseases and injuries, including the leading causes of death such as cardiovascular diseases, injuries and cancers.
WHO/Europe | Virtual launch of new WHO report on alcohol control policies who.int - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from who.int Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
06-04-2021
Many commercial baby foods marketed in Poland and across the Region are not nutritionally suitable.
Inappropriate promotion of commercial baby foods can undermine parents’ confidence in home-produced foods and breastfeeding, as well as encourage dietary habits that may lead to obesity and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
A new WHO/Europe report, “Improving the nutritional quality of commercial foods for infants and young children in Poland”, concludes that inappropriate promotion is a widespread practice, echoing other recent reports coming from many countries of the WHO European Region.
“Good nutrition in infancy and early childhood is the foundation of good health and development later in life. Exclusive breastfeeding for the child’s first 6 months, and establishing healthy nutritional habits early on, can protect children from both overweight and obesity – conditions that are associated with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and other NCDs in adu
03-03-2021
8 out of 10 food and drink adverts in Norway promote unhealthy nutrition.
According to a new study conducted by the Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), 8 out of 10 food and drink advertisements aimed at children in Norway violate WHO guidelines and promote unhealthy nutrition. The research used the CLICK framework – a tool that helps monitor and restrict marketing of unhealthy products to children, developed by the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases.
Researchers have mapped the current digital marketing landscape of food and drinks directed at children aged 3–17 years in Norway, revealing that the majority of the products advertised were foods and beverages high in fat, salt and sugar. While most of these should not be promoted to a young audience, according to WHO guidelines, only 9% of them were deemed unacceptable under the guidelines currently in effect in Norway.