F8 FORUM
Sponsored and organised by the DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
The social and economic costs of a growing, ageing population are considerable at present. These costs are predicted to increase dramatically over the coming decades. Lifestyle-related, non-communicable diseases (cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cancer and diabetes) account for some 86% of total mortality in Europe. These diseases, which are largely preventable using a personalised approach, can have an estimated impact of up to 7% on a country’s GDP. Risk factors for the onset of chronic conditions include a lack of physical activity and an unhealthy diet, which in turn are strongly dependent on the environments in which people live: how they move, work, study, eat, socialise and enjoy their leisure time. One example is how to motivate and encourage youth to engage in sports and to keep active throughout their lives. In the spirit of shifting focus from treating lifestyle-related diseases to preventing them, our session will discuss effective ways to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour to improve overall health and well-being. The goal is to identify best practices and recommendations from research to inform prevention-oriented public health policies for a healthy Europe.
Session is divided into two parts:
A credits-based and people-centric approach for the adoption of healthy life-styles and a balanced Mediterranean diet – Credits4Health Project
Maria Luisa Brandi, Professor of Endocrinology, University of Florence, Italy
The power of elite football clubs to promote health amongst their fans – EuroFIT Project
Sally Wyke, Professor, Institute of Health and Well-being, University of Glasgow, UK
Empowering Coaching(™) training programme in the case of European grassroots football coaches: Optimising young people's engagement in youth sport – PAPA Project
Joan Duda, Professor of Sport and Exercise Psychology, School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
An interdisciplinary approach to asses effects of active mobility on health conditions of European citizens – first experiences from the PASTA Project
Christian Schweizer, World Health Organization
Break-out sessions
Interactive discussions will address barriers and facilitators in enhancing physical activity, in three break-out sessions on:
• Intersectoral, interdepartmental collaboration
• Multi-sector collaboration (private entities, NGOs, etc.)
• Environmental settings enabling empowerment
Facilitators
Barbara Kerstiëns, Head of Public Health Sector, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission;
Philippe Roux, Head of Health Determinants Unit, DG Health and Consumers, European Commission;
Olivier Fontaine, Policy Officer, Sport, Erasmus+ Unit, DG Education and Culture, European Commission