Policy
A primary aim of WHO/Europe is to monitor and address the causes of preventable illness, as well as the underlying factors contributing to their increase – such as the behavioural and socioeconomic factors leading to obesity. In the fields of physical activity and diet, the Regional Office's support to countries is guided by the Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2014, the WHO European Food and Nutrition Action Plan 2015–2020, and Rome Declaration on Nutrition.
WHO/Europe's response
To identify the underlying social causes of obesity and other noncommunicable diseases and their common risk factors, WHO/Europe commissioned a review of the social determinants of health throughout all 53 Member States, which took place from 2010 to 2012. This review provided the Action Plan for implementation of the European Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2012−2016, which identifies priority action areas and interventions for Member States to focus on until 2016.
