Given how hard our hearts work for us, we would be well advised to take all necessary steps to keep them healthy. Unfortunately, cardiovascular diseases remain the main cause of death in nearly all EU countries, accounting for nearly 40% of all deaths.
Yet at least 80% of deaths from cardiovascular diseases could be avoided through the adoption of healthier lifestyles. As a heart surgeon, I have seen first-hand the damage that tobacco, an unhealthy diet and physical inactivity can do to a person’s heart and blood vessels. Now, as European Health Commissioner, I am sometimes described as “Europe’s doctor”, and my focus is on the health of all Europeans. I am committed to supporting EU member states in their efforts to tackle chronic diseases.
Looking beyond targets
All EU countries have made a commitment to reach by 2025 the nine voluntary global targets set out in the World Health Organisation’s global action plan on non-communicable diseases. These include reducing the harmful use of alcohol by 10%, the intake of salt by 30% and tobacco use by 30%. This is a step in the right direction, and the European Commission has developed a range of initiatives that support EU member states in reaching these targets, including legislation (on tobacco, for example), platforms for action and co‑operation (on nutrition and alcohol), and many Joint Actions (activities co-financed with member-state authorities) and projects to foster the exchange of knowledge and good practice.
One example of EU co‑operation is CHRODIS, a Joint Action co-financed by the commission’s Health Programme to help member states to prevent and address chronic diseases and to foster healthy ageing. This project has set out “12 steps towards implementing practices to reduce the burden of chronic disease”, and has paved the way for a new Joint Action that will put these principles into practice.
Putting ideas into practice
Indeed, we already have many recommendations, guidelines and good practices in Europe. The time has now come to put them into practice. It is important that any such measures reach out to everybody—including the poorest and most vulnerable.
Health promotion requires working across many policy areas, such as trade, transport and education, and I therefore strive to ensure that other policies reflect health concerns, that silos are broken down and that common efforts are developed across policies. A current priority, for example, is to make progress on reformulation frameworks that aim to reduce excess salt, saturated fat and sugars in food. My aim is to help make healthy food available in every supermarket and affordable for every citizen.
These are small but significant steps. As demographic ageing gains pace, we mustn’t waver in our efforts to keep people healthy and ward off preventable diseases. That is why I take every opportunity to repeat the “four Ps” that drive health policy—prevention, promotion, protection and participation—and to back up this statement with concrete support to EU countries.
Heart health is everybody’s concern: we need to work together, across borders, regions and policy sectors, and I am committed to playing my part.
This blog is part of a series called "Global Heart Health". Click Here to read the full series.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited (EIU) or any other member of The Economist Group. The Economist Group (including the EIU) cannot accept any responsibility or liability for reliance by any person on this article or any of the information, opinions or conclusions set out in the article.
