Nutrition, physical activity and the prevention of obesity Policy developments in the WHO European Region WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION • REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE Scherfigsvej 8, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark Telephone: +45 39 17 17 17 Fax: +45 39 17 18 18 Electronic mail: [email protected] World Wide Web address: http://www.euro.who.int ABSTRACT The aim of this report is to highlight policy developments in the area of nutrition, physical activity and the prevention of obesity in the Member States of the WHO European Region. The report was prepared in relation to and as background material for the WHO European Ministerial Conference on Counteracting Obesity, which took place in Istanbul, Turkey, on 15-17 November 2006. It was compiled on the basis of material used during the pre- conference process and updated after the Conference to include information received from national and international counterparts and other sources up to January 2007. The report contains information on national policy developments and examples of programmes, which have been implemented or are ongoing in the area of nutrition, physical activity and the prevention of obesity at the national and local levels in 48 countries of the WHO European Region. The report is intended to support ongoing policy development, action and exchange of experience in this increasingly important area of public health. Keywords NUTRITION OBESITY - prevention and control PHYSICAL FITNESS EXERCISE HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT HEALTH POLICY EUROPE Address requests about publications of the WHO RegionalEUR/06/5062700 Office for Europe to: Publications WHO Regional Office for Europe Scherfigsvej 8 DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark Alternatively, complete an online request form for documentation, health information, or for permission to quote or translate, on the WHO/Europe web site at http://www.euro.who.int/pubrequest. © World Health Organization 2007 All rights reserved. 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CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements .................................................................................................1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................3 Summary of recent policy developments ...................................................................3 Albania...................................................................................................................7 Armenia .................................................................................................................7 Austria ...................................................................................................................8 Azerbaijan ..............................................................................................................9 Belarus...................................................................................................................9 Belgium................................................................................................................ 10 Bosnia and Herzegovina ........................................................................................ 11 Bulgaria ............................................................................................................... 13 Croatia................................................................................................................. 14 Cyprus ................................................................................................................. 15 Czech Republic ..................................................................................................... 16 Denmark .............................................................................................................. 17 Estonia................................................................................................................. 19 Finland................................................................................................................. 20 France ................................................................................................................. 22 Georgia ................................................................................................................ 23 Germany .............................................................................................................. 24 Greece ................................................................................................................. 26 Hungary............................................................................................................... 26 Iceland................................................................................................................. 27 Ireland................................................................................................................. 28 Israel ................................................................................................................... 30 Italy..................................................................................................................... 32 Kazakhstan........................................................................................................... 33 Kyrgyzstan ........................................................................................................... 33 Latvia................................................................................................................... 33 Lithuania .............................................................................................................. 35 Luxembourg ......................................................................................................... 35 Malta ................................................................................................................... 36 Netherlands.......................................................................................................... 37 Norway ................................................................................................................ 39 Poland ................................................................................................................. 41 Portugal ............................................................................................................... 42 Republic of Moldova .............................................................................................. 43 Romania............................................................................................................... 44 Russian Federation................................................................................................ 44 Serbia .................................................................................................................. 44 Slovakia ............................................................................................................... 45 Slovenia ............................................................................................................... 46 Spain ................................................................................................................... 47 Sweden................................................................................................................ 48 Switzerland........................................................................................................... 49 Tajikistan ............................................................................................................. 51 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia............................................................ 51 Turkey ................................................................................................................. 52 Ukraine ................................................................................................................ 52 United Kingdom .................................................................................................... 53 Uzbekistan ........................................................................................................... 55