On 17 May 2024, the team behind the Healthy Lifestyles for Europe (HL4EU) project, coordinated by EuropeActive, published its Call for Action on "Enabling Cross-Sectoral Approaches for Healthy Lifestyles in Europe". All committed stakeholders, whether individuals or organisations, are invited to endorse the Call HERE, to show support for advancing more comprehensive cross-sectoral approaches to healthy lifestyles access and promotion, with increased levels of physical activity at its core.
In its Call for Action, the HL4EU coalition paints a grim picture of the rising NCD rates which have devastating consequences for individuals and their quality of life, European healthcare systems, and society at large. NCDs are the leading cause of mortality in Europe where they account for 90% of all deaths and 80% of the health burden. Premature mortality from NCDs results in a loss of €115 billion per year to the economy (0.8% of GDP), with further losses incurred due to lower productivity, employment rates, and disability. Moreover, the burden of NCDs on life quality and well-being of those living with them, their families, and caregivers should not be underestimated.
In this context, the coalition highlights the significant benefits, and cost-effectiveness, of physical activity for improved NCD prevention, management, and care. The group calls on the European Union to step up efforts to address NCDs and its risk factors, improve people’s quality of life and build a strong and resilient European Health Union by enabling and fostering greater cross-sectoral approaches to healthy lifestyles. Interdisciplinary research highlights the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental factors in shaping health outcomes. Therefore, addressing the complex determinants of health requires a holistic approach that transcends traditional boundaries and embraces collaboration across sectors.
The Call for Action highlights the following demands:
- Increase EU funding, and its accessibility, and EU initiatives, that support multisectoral collaboration and coordination platforms dedicated to healthy lifestyle promotion;
- Conduct research into effective strategies for increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour at the population level;
- Integrate physical activity into clinical practice through screening, counselling, and referral programmes;
- Implement policies to create supportive environments for physical activity, such as urban planning initiatives, transportation policies, and school-based programmes;
- Mobilise communities to provide accessible and safe spaces for physical activity, including parks, active mobility infrastructures, and recreational facilities (both private and public).
The HL4EU coalition invites all interested stakeholders to Save the Date - *Tuesday 5 November 2024* - for the Community Building Conference in Brussels which will gather the supporters of the Call for Action and focus on the reality of using physical activity across different sectors, and what the project is striving to accomplish. The HL4EU project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union.
