Two-day conference in Athens (25 - 26.2.14)

Greek Health Minister Spyridon - Adonis Georgiadis and Deputy Health Minister Zetta Makri will address the conference “Nutrition and Physical Activity from Childhood to Old Age: Challenges and opportunities”, which is co-funded by the European Commission and the Greek Presidency of the Council of the EU.

A number of high-level officials, including EU Health Ministers are expected to attend the event.

Following the inaugural session, the “WHO/EU Country Profiles on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity” will be presented, with obesity constituting a central theme of the conference (the EU Action Plan on Childhood Obesity 2014-2020 and national best practices in the fight against childhood obesity will be discussed).

The protection and advancement of citizens’ health is a declared EU priority. Both prevention and medical treatment can contribute to health, but prevention undoubtedly has clear advantages. Among preventive actions, the benefits of good nutrition and physical activity are universal and applicable throughout life, from childhood to old age. The conference will also deal with broader policies to tackle diet-related non-communicable diseases and will address relevant public health issues, with focus on the underprivileged, as well as on scientific considerations for the formulation of strategies within the EU.

With nutrition and physical activity being relevant throughout one’s life span, from early childhood to old age, effective approaches and their applicability in the entire EU population, especially in its vulnerable subgroups, will be considered.

Prospects for the encouragement of health-promoting dietary patterns - notably the ecologically friendly Mediterranean diet and the integration of physical activity in daily life at total population level - in the context of the modern EU lifestyle with a view to substantial health effects will be considered.

Link to Conference website