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Preventia

On October 28–29, SAFE joined key events in Rome focused on strengthening EU health collaborations. Discover how synergies are driving progress on NCDs like cardiovascular diseases and diabetes!

Newsletter #2

Foreword

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, are diseases that are not transmissible from one person to another, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases. NCDs are the result of unhealthy lifestyles, e.g. tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets and use of alcohol, leading to metabolic and physiological changes. In European countries, NCDs are responsible for an enormous part of the burden that public health systems in the Member States are facing. The increasing rates of deaths related to NCDs in Europe are concerning, but although running rampant, the complex health issues caused by NCDs can be tackled, if we improve prevention measures and promote health.
Healthy diets are a key aspect of our lifestyle, and can help tackling the rise of NCDs. A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats is essential for our overall health, and reduces the risk of chronic illnesses.
The Preventia project aims to decrease the spreading of NCDs across the EU, while reducing health inequalities and fostering cooperation and exchanges between the EU Member States.

What's new

Events “Synergies by Design Meeting between JACARDI and the Action Grants on cardiovascular diseases and diabetes” and “Synergies for integrated care”

On 28 and 29 October, SAFE attended the events “Synergies by Design Meeting between JACARDI and the Action Grants on cardiovascular diseases and diabetes” and “Synergies for integrated care” in Rome.

The first event was hosted by the Joint Action JACARDI, while the latter was organised by HaDEA in collaboration with the Joint Action on increasing Capacity building for National Focal Points, the Horizon Europe Partnership for Transforming HealthCare Systems, the Joint Action on cardiovascular diseases and diabetes and the Horizon Europe Health National Contact Points.

The main takeaways from the JACARDI-HaDEA meetings include the establishment of synergies to enhance health equity, sustainability, and communication across EU health projects, specifically focusing on NCDs like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and mental health. Key next steps involve developing actionable plans and organising follow-up meetings to ensure that collaborative initiatives remain impactful and sustainable even beyond project funding. 

Science says so

This study investigates diet quality across four popular dietary patterns: Ketogenic Diet, Low-Carbohydrate Healthy-Fat, Vegetarian, and Vegan, employing the NOVA and Human Interference Scoring System (HISS) classification systems. Utilising a modified Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and analyzing 168 participants' dietary habits, the research identifies notable differences in dietary quality among the dietary patterns.

A healthy diet may help keep low grade prostate cancer from progressing to more dangerous states.

The study explores how different forms of media usage among children were linked to poorer eating patterns, specifically adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD).

It is unknown whether the association between ultra-processed food (UPF) intake and type 2 diabetes mellitus differs from other degrees of food processing. In this article, they examined the association between degree of food processing and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The latest on nutrition and health

Food preferences play a significant role in shaping one’s dietary habits. But researchers have discovered that the food one choosen to eat is not just linked to physical and mental health, but also to cognitive function, brain structure, and genetics.

The Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, fish, and plant-based foods, has been linked to a lower risk of Cardiometabolic diseases (CMD). Studies have also shown that higher adherence is linked to lower risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.

Food insecurity in the early lives of children or their pregnant mothers increases kids’ chance of developing obesity or severe obesity in childhood and adolescence by 50%, according to new research. Moreover, these children also had a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) at ages five and 15.

Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. At the same time, researchers discovered that people could lower this risk by consuming less processed foods instead. A new study analysed UPFs intake and health outcomes for 311,892 individuals from eight European countries over an average of 10.9 years.

What is EU doing?

The European Commission has launched in December 2021 the Healthier together – EU non-communicable diseases (NCD) initiative that will cover the 2022-2027 period to support EU countries in identifying and implementing effective policies and actions to reduce the burden of major NCDs and improve citizens’ health and well-being.

Chronic diseases linked to modern dietary habits continue to affect consumers worldwide. FoodChain ID’s new whitepaper outlines the latest regulatory developments worldwide – for example for sugar-sweetened beverages and ultra-processed foods

Let's debate about health

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Preventia (“NCDs prevention and health promotion through training, networking and awareness-raising across the EU”)  has received funding from the European Union’s EU4Health programme implemented by HaDEA under Grant Agreement No 101128898.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HaDEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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