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Public health news from around the WHO European Region.
September 2023
In this issue you can find:
- WHO/Europe toolkit for tobacco-free schools;
- AI tool to monitor marketing of unhealthy products;
- Countries' experience: breastfeeding at workplaces in Norway and Estonia;
- Guidance for sports federations to promote healthier life choices;
- New data: Scotland’s minimum unit pricing policy on alcohol is protecting lives;
- WHO training course for prison health workers
Tobacco
New WHO toolkit for schools to create a tobacco- and nicotine-free environment
Around 88% of adult smokers have their first cigarette before turning 18, and some start as early as age 11. Moreover, the use of novel tobacco and nicotine products – including electronic cigarettes – is on the rise. These products are often marketed specifically at young people, who are an important target market for the tobacco industry.
To change this, WHO has launched a new toolkit to provide practical advice to management and staff in schools on how to develop, communicate, educate on, and enforce effective nicotine- and tobacco-free policies in schools.
The WHO toolkit complements the global guide to creating nicotine- and tobacco-free schools. More here
The Netherlands at the forefront of tobacco control
The Netherlands has reached a significant milestone by becoming the fourth country in the world, following Türkiye, Brazil and Mauritius, to adopt the 6 cost-effective and high-impact policy measures known as MPOWER that help countries reduce demand for tobacco. This achievement is featured in the newly published WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic.
The progress achieved in the Netherlands is a testament to the Government’s political commitment to tobacco control, and is an excellent example of collaboration between government, international health organizations and civil society.
Nutrition & Obesity
World breastfeeding week 2023: country stories from Norway and Estonia
The rates of breastfeeding in the WHO European Region are the lowest in the world. Some countries have been more successful in combating the unfortunate trend through a set of efficient social policies – and Norway has proven to be one of the leaders. Known for its progressive social policies, the country has developed a comprehensive framework of parental leave and breastfeeding support for mothers, which continues evolving.
Estonia’s progress in supporting working parents with babies is an inspiring example of how to find a balance between equal caregiving responsibilities for mothers and fathers while promoting exclusive breastfeeding for newborns during their first 6 months.
New report: Commercial foods for infants and young children in Türkiye
While nutrition has always been an essential component of health care, in recent years the effect upon the health of infants and young children of improper nutrition has come under closer scrutiny. Ensuring complementary foods are healthy and nutritious is made increasingly difficult by improper and unregulated marketing.
This report examines the availability, marketing and trends of manufacturers, consumers and stores to provide a cross-sectional study of the availability and nutritional composition of foods aimed at infants and young children in Türkiye.
WHO AI tool invites people to counter promotion of unhealthy products and monitor the marketing of breastmilk substitutes and foods for infants
You can contribute to the training of an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that will help countries across the WHO European Region to effectively monitor and regulate the promotion of harmful products that are mainly targeted at children – from tobacco and alcohol to foods high in salt, trans fats and sugars – and to monitor the marketing of breastmilk substitutes (BMS) and foods for infants and young children (FIYC). More here
NEWLY PUBLISHED RESEARCH!
Access WHO/Europe articles
The Development and Potential of a Digital out of Home Food Environment Monitoring Platform (Nutrients Journal Special Issue "Food Nutrition Labels in Relation to Diet and Public Health")
Evaluating the role of salt intake in achieving WHO NCD targets in the Eurasian Economic Union: A PRIME modeling study (PLOS ONE Journal)
Physical Activity
Health through sport: WHO guides sports federations and clubs in promoting the benefits of active living
Inclusive, sustainable, welcoming national sports federations is a new WHO publication which aims to help national sports federations connect with affiliated clubs that sometimes lack information and support to ask questions to amplify the advantages of healthy living.
Sports organizations that prioritize the health of their members and communities can become drivers of positive change across the WHO European Region and beyond. More here
UPCOMING EVENT
Regional summit on policy innovation for healthy ageing in the WHO European Region
10–11 October 2023, Lisbon, Portugal
As the lifespan of Europe’s population extends, promoting healthy ageing becomes paramount. Challenges and opportunities arise, necessitating improved health care, a skilled health and care workforce, age-friendly environments and a collective effort to combat ageism across all sectors.
To explore these issues, WHO/Europe is hosting the Regional Summit for Policy Innovation on Healthy Ageing co-organized with the Directorate General of Health of Portugal. More here
Alcohol use
No place for cheap alcohol: Scotland’s minimum unit pricing policy is protecting lives
Pricing policies are among the most cost-effective measures that countries can use to reduce alcohol consumption and harms. Published in June 2023, the independent evaluation of Scotland’s minimum unit pricing (MUP) policy concluded that in 2.5 years of operation, it has prevented hundreds of avoidable deaths and reduced health inequalities linked to alcohol consumption.
Deaths caused by alcohol dropped by an estimated 13.4% and hospital admissions by 4.1%, with the largest reductions seen among men and those living in the most deprived areas. More here
Reducing alcohol consumption, the Nordic way: alcohol monopolies, marketing bans and higher taxation
Nordic countries have a long history of alcohol consumption, complex challenges with heavy episodic drinking practices, and a reputation of implementing some of the strongest regulations to reduce alcohol-related harms.
Today, alcohol drinking levels in the Nordic countries, including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, are among the lowest in the European Union. Unsurprisingly, alcohol is treated in many of these countries as no ordinary commodity and is strictly regulated.
RECORDINGS AVAILABLE!
Webinar series: Alcohol and Public Health
The series is primarily aimed at graduate and postgraduate students, early career researchers, and young professionals in various fields like public health, social sciences, medicine and economics, but anyone is welcome to join.
The webinars are 60 minutes in length and are held in English. You do not have to be a training course participant to watch the webinars. More here
Prisons and health
WHO/Europe training course for prison health-care workers: prevention and management of infectious diseases in places of detention
To empower and enhance professional development of national counterparts and clinicians working with prisons and other detention facilities across the WHO European Region, the WHO/Europe Special Initiative for Noncommunicable Diseases and Innovation (SNI) in collaboration with the United Kingdom Health Security Agency and with the SEICHE Center for Health and Justice (Yale University) is introducing a new training course: “Prevention and management of infectious diseases in places of detention”.
It is aimed at bridging the gaps in training curricula, navigating ethical and medical-legal dilemmas, and understanding system-related concepts in correctional health care.
MANDELA DAY
The independence of doctors is essential: the work of a Montpellier prison towards eliminating hepatitis C
WHO/Europe shares the experience of Dr Fadi Meroueh, who heads the clinic in Maison d’arrêt de Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone, a prison on the outskirts of Montpellier, France. Through the efforts of Dr Meroueh and his team, this detention facility has effectively managed to prevent and control infections such as hepatitis C and HIV inside the prison walls.
WATCH VIDEO - Suicide in prison is preventable!
Marine Granier's project to reduce suicide rates in Nancy prison (France) was developed during a WHO/Europe training course and afterwards received support for implementation from the prison administration
