Robust policies to make Europe a healthier place

Two MEPs discuss EU health policies

Weight is a health problem, not a cosmetic one. Obesity is fast becoming the world's biggest health problem. It is draining approximately €59 billion a year from EU member states' pockets in direct healthcare costs, but the overall economic impact could be as high as €118-236bn, with rising childhood obesity auguring badly for the future.

A staggering quarter of Europe's children are now obese, with body weight now the most prevalent childhood disease. The health problems associated with obesity are widely known, with heart disease, strokes, hypertension and type-two diabetes topping the list. Obesity can also cause depression, a short attention span, sick days at work, earlier retirement, lower life expectancy and infertility.

Between 25% and 43% of EU citizens are clinically overweight. The number of overweight people in the west is comparable with world benchmarks. But our obesity rates are not normal. In China and India, two of the EU's fastest-growing economic competitors, fewer then 6% are clinically obese. This certainly does not augur well for the EU's Lisbon Agenda goals on competitiveness.

Common reasons cited for obesity are over-eating and lack of exercise, but the problem is far wider than that, in my opinion. A comprehensive strategy is needed to stem the rise in obesity in Europe, combining legislative and non-legislative initiatives. The approach must be broad, embracing policies on food and nutrition, agriculture, transport, education and youth, alcohol, sports and the workplace. In other words I am recommending a holistic approach to the EU's obesity problem.

A healthy diet forms the basis of good health, which explains the growing interest being shown by consumers in the nutritional value of food. This is obliging the food industry to provide consumers with increasingly accurate and detailed information on the food they eat. I welcome the European Parliament's recent acceptance of a Commission regulation on nutritional and health claims, which addresses nutrition and health claims made on foods and beverages.

The consumer at present is faced with a deluge of marketing ploys in order to entice them to purchase food products. Often the nutritional and health claims on food products are not entirely accurate and honest. For example there are products, such as some breakfast cereals, which claim to be high in fibre, but do not mention on the packet that they are also high in sugar or salt. This legislation will ensure honest provision of information for the consumer, and that is to be greatly welcomed. A varied and balanced diet is a prerequisite for good health and single products have a relative importance in the context of the whole diet.

Today's consumer is under pressure to prepare meals quickly and we are becoming more and more dependent on processed foods. A large percentage of people have forgotten the taste of non-processed food and literally eat on the run. The Commission must ensure further research into the area of obesity and its approach must be holistic.

A general information campaign on nutrition issues and the importance of acquiring healthy habits is badly needed. Many consumers lack basic nutritional knowledge. Greater emphasis must be put on home economics in EU schools. The TV advertising of foods high in fat, sugar and salt before the 9pm 'watershed', after which most children are in bed, must be closely examined in order to combat childhood obesity. Urban development and transport policies should promote physical activity opportunities. Streets and rural roads should be made safer instead of focusing on increasing car use.

I am calling on the Commission to set up a new EU agency charged with preventing obesity, as well as a common health policy across the union. Obesity has now become a strong candidate for being the number one health problem mankind is facing. We legislators must act swiftly.

• Irish Fianna Fáil MEP Liam Aylward represents the Union for Europe of the Nations group on the Parliament's committee on the environment, public health and food safety.

Currently the European Union shares competence for health and healthcare issues with the member states, which means that the EU has a relatively weak mandate and lacks the clout needed to achieve ambitious health goals.

The EU is already addressing health challenges. Within the framework of its health strategy the European Commission focuses on concentrating resources where the EU can provide real added value, without duplicating work which can better be done by the member states or international organisations.

The Commission focuses especially on critical diseases and their causes. Much past and current EU-legislation, for example on tobacco, food and health claims and on obesity, is based on the conviction that health determinants such as smoking, unhealthy food and lack of physical activity are the causes of diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular afflictions.

From these areas where the EU is already taking action - joint research, joint measures on alcohol, tobacco and obesity - further action will undoubtedly follow in the future.

We could go even further. Why should we not have one European market for medicines, medical care and information? Medicines are essential products, but in the end they are still products on a market of suppliers and consumers; products that are traded. Competition on the market will stimulate companies to innovate and to offer better quality. Moreover, it will lead to lower medicine prices for the patient.

The patient should be better informed on possible medicines and treatments. Being fully informed, a patient might make a different choice and has every right to do so.

For this we need a change of the current legislative framework on patient information through a reform that allows direct flows of information to consumer or patient.

The goal must always be to give more choice and better opportunities to the patient. This does not necessarily mean that all problems will be solved by a completely free market.

There are some exceptions including medicines for rare diseases and children's medication.

The EU has already shown that it has a role to play given the legislation on orphan medicinal products and on paediatric medicines, which includes proposals for research investment.

Communicable diseases, such as SARS and bird flu which threaten Europe, demonstrate that the EU has a role to play in tackling this.

Single actions by member states are insufficient to avert the risk of such diseases. In the event of an emergency, the European Commission should be able to adopt crisis measures within 24 hours such as quarantine and disinfection measures at airports and travel restrictions. This idea has already been adopted by the European Parliament.

The EU should also act from a competitiveness policy perspective and stimulate innovation, development and research.

If we want the medical sector to be more competitive, we have to invest more in research, but also in education of medical personnel.

Industry will not invest in a cure without some degree of certainty that such an investment will pay off in the future.

For example, in the case of a vaccine against avian influenza, development is time-consuming and while the exact strain of the virus remains unknown, the vaccines being developed might never be used. If we want industry to do research into the matter, we have to make investments.

The EU has a lot to offer in tackling health issues and will have to play a larger role in health and healthcare issues.

This development will probably not be driven by a financial push, but will most probably be publicly- driven as has been the case with the European environmental legislation. It is the voters who demand EU- level intervention.

• Dutch Liberal MEP Jules Maaten represents the ALDE group on Parliament's committee on the environment, public health and food safety.

Two MEPs discuss EU health policies