International audience ; The provision of simplified nutrition information, in a prominent place on the front of food packages, is recommended as an important element of comprehensive strategies to tackle the burden of death and disease caused by unhealthy diets. There is growing evidence that front-of-pack nutrition labels are preferred by consumers, are more likely to be looked at or noticed than nutrition labelling on the back or side of packages and can help consumers to better identify healthier and less healthy products. This review summarizes current implementation of front-of-pack nutrition labelling policies in the countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. Implementation of front-of-pack nutrition labelling in the Eastern Mediterranean Region remains limited, but three types of scheme were identified as having been implemented or at an advanced stage of development by governments in six countries. Through a review of reviews of existing research and evidence from country implementation, the authors suggest some pointers for implementation for other countries in the Region deciding to implement front-of-pack nutrition labelling policies.
International audience ; The provision of simplified nutrition information, in a prominent place on the front of food packages, is recommended as an important element of comprehensive strategies to tackle the burden of death and disease caused by unhealthy diets. There is growing evidence that front-of-pack nutrition labels are preferred by consumers, are more likely to be looked at or noticed than nutrition labelling on the back or side of packages and can help consumers to better identify healthier and less healthy products. This review summarizes current implementation of front-of-pack nutrition labelling policies in the countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. Implementation of front-of-pack nutrition labelling in the Eastern Mediterranean Region remains limited, but three types of scheme were identified as having been implemented or at an advanced stage of development by governments in six countries. Through a review of reviews of existing research and evidence from country implementation, the authors suggest some pointers for implementation for other countries in the Region deciding to implement front-of-pack nutrition labelling policies.
International audience ; The provision of simplified nutrition information, in a prominent place on the front of food packages, is recommended as an important element of comprehensive strategies to tackle the burden of death and disease caused by unhealthy diets. There is growing evidence that front-of-pack nutrition labels are preferred by consumers, are more likely to be looked at or noticed than nutrition labelling on the back or side of packages and can help consumers to better identify healthier and less healthy products. This review summarizes current implementation of front-of-pack nutrition labelling policies in the countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. Implementation of front-of-pack nutrition labelling in the Eastern Mediterranean Region remains limited, but three types of scheme were identified as having been implemented or at an advanced stage of development by governments in six countries. Through a review of reviews of existing research and evidence from country implementation, the authors suggest some pointers for implementation for other countries in the Region deciding to implement front-of-pack nutrition labelling policies.
International audience ; The provision of simplified nutrition information, in a prominent place on the front of food packages, is recommended as an important element of comprehensive strategies to tackle the burden of death and disease caused by unhealthy diets. There is growing evidence that front-of-pack nutrition labels are preferred by consumers, are more likely to be looked at or noticed than nutrition labelling on the back or side of packages and can help consumers to better identify healthier and less healthy products. This review summarizes current implementation of front-of-pack nutrition labelling policies in the countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. Implementation of front-of-pack nutrition labelling in the Eastern Mediterranean Region remains limited, but three types of scheme were identified as having been implemented or at an advanced stage of development by governments in six countries. Through a review of reviews of existing research and evidence from country implementation, the authors suggest some pointers for implementation for other countries in the Region deciding to implement front-of-pack nutrition labelling policies.
International audience ; The provision of simplified nutrition information, in a prominent place on the front of food packages, is recommended as an important element of comprehensive strategies to tackle the burden of death and disease caused by unhealthy diets. There is growing evidence that front-of-pack nutrition labels are preferred by consumers, are more likely to be looked at or noticed than nutrition labelling on the back or side of packages and can help consumers to better identify healthier and less healthy products. This review summarizes current implementation of front-of-pack nutrition labelling policies in the countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. Implementation of front-of-pack nutrition labelling in the Eastern Mediterranean Region remains limited, but three types of scheme were identified as having been implemented or at an advanced stage of development by governments in six countries. Through a review of reviews of existing research and evidence from country implementation, the authors suggest some pointers for implementation for other countries in the Region deciding to implement front-of-pack nutrition labelling policies.
The provision of simplified nutrition information, in a prominent place on the front of food packages, is recommended as an important element of comprehensive strategies to tackle the burden of death and disease caused by unhealthy diets. There is growing evidence that front-of-pack nutrition labels are preferred by consumers, are more likely to be looked at or noticed than nutrition labelling on the back or side of packages and can help consumers to better identify healthier and less healthy products. This review summarizes current implementation of front-of-pack nutrition labelling policies in the countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. Implementation of front-of-pack nutrition labelling in the Eastern Mediterranean Region remains limited, but three types of scheme were identified as having been implemented or at an advanced stage of development by governments in six countries. Through a review of reviews of existing research and evidence from country implementation, the authors suggest some pointers for implementation for other countries in the Region deciding to implement front-of-pack nutrition labelling policies.
To meet the need for regular and reliable data on the prevalence of overweight andobesity among children in Europe, the World Health Organization (WHO) EuropeanChildhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) was established in 2007. Theresulting robust surveillance system has improved understanding of the public healthchallenge of childhood overweight and obesity in the WHO European Region. For the past decade, data from COSI have helped to inform and drive policy action onnutrition and physical activity in the region. This paper describes illustrative examplesof how COSI data have fed into national and international policy, but the real scopeof COSI's impact is likely to be much broader. In some countries, there are signs thatpolicy responses to COSI data have helped halt the rise in childhood obesity. As thecountries of the WHO European Region commit to pursuing United Action for BetterHealth in Europe in WHO's new European Programme of Work, COSI provides anexcellent example of such united action in practice. Further collaborative action willbe key to tackling this major public health challenge which affects children through-out the region ; The authors gratefully acknowledge support through a grant from the Russian government in the context of the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCDs. The Ministries of Health of Austria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Malta, Norway, and the Russian Federation provided financial support for the meetings at which the protocol, data collection procedures, and analyses were discussed. Data collection in the countries featured in this paper was made possible through funding from: Bulgaria: Ministry of Health, National Center of Public Health and Analyses, WHO Regional Office for Europe; Croatia: Ministry of Health, Croatian Institute of Public Health, and WHO Regional Office for Europe; Georgia: WHO; Ireland: Health Service Executive; Italy: Ministry of Health and Italian National Institute of Health; Latvia: Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health, Latvia; Malta: Ministry of Health; North Macedonia: funded by the Government of North Macedonia through National Annual Program of Public Health and implemented by the Institute of Public Health and Centers of Public Health. WHO country office provides support for training and data management; Portugal: Ministry of Health Institutions, the National Institute of Health, Directorate General of Health, Regional Health Directorates and the kind technical support from the Center for Studies and Research on Social Dynamics and Health (CEIDSS); Turkey: Turkish Ministry of Health and World Bank. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Establishment of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI)has resulted in a surveillance system which provides regular, reliable, timely, andaccurate data on children's weight status—through standardized measurement ofbodyweight and height—in the WHO European Region. Additional data on dietaryintake, physical activity, sedentary behavior, family background, and schoolenvironments are collected in several countries. In total, 45 countries in the EuropeanRegion have participated in COSI. The first five data collection rounds, between 2007and 2021, yielded measured anthropometric data on over 1.3 million children. In COSI,data are collected according to a common protocol, using standardized instrumentsand procedures. The systematic collection and analysis of these data enables inter-country comparisons and reveals differences in the prevalence of childhood thinness,overweight, normal weight, and obesity between and within populations. Furthermore,it facilitates investigation of the relationship between overweight, obesity, and poten-tial risk or protective factors and improves the understanding of the development ofoverweight and obesity in European primary-school children in order to supportappropriate and effective policy responses. ; The authors gratefully acknowledge support through a grant from the Russian Government in the context of the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCDs. The ministries of health of Austria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Malta, Norway, and the Russian Federation provided financial support for the meetings at which the protocol, data collection procedures, and analyses were discussed. Data collection in countries was made possible through funding from the following: Albania: WHO through the Joint Programme on Children, Food Security and Nutrition "Reducing Malnutrition in Children," funded by the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund, and the Institute of Public Health. Austria: Federal Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection of Austria. Bulgaria: Ministry of Health, National Center of Public Health and Analyses, and WHO Regional Office for Europe. Bosnia and Herzegovina: WHO country office support for training and data management. Croatia: Ministry of Health, Croatian Institute of Public Health, and WHO Regional Office for Europe. Czechia: Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic, grant number 17-31670A and MZCR—RVO EU 00023761. Denmark: Danish Ministry of Health. Estonia: Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Education and Research (IUT 42-2), WHO Country Office, and National Institute for Health Development. Finland: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. France: Santé publique France (the French Agency for Public Health). Georgia: WHO. Greece: International Hellenic University and Hellenic Medical Association for Obesity. Hungary: WHO Country Office for Hungary. Ireland: Health Service Executive. Italy: Ministry of Health. Kazakhstan: Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, WHO, and UNICEF. Kyrgyzstan: World Health Organization. Latvia: Ministry of Health and Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Lithuania: Science Foundation of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and Lithuanian Science Council and WHO. Malta: Ministry of Health. Montenegro: WHO and Institute of Public Health of Montenegro. North Macedonia: Government of North Macedonia through National Annual Program of Public Health and implemented by the Institute of Public Health and Centers of Public Health; WHO country office provides support for training and data management. Norway: the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services, the Norwegian Directorate of Health, and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Poland: National Health Programme, Ministry of Health. Portugal: Ministry of Health Institutions, the National Institute of Health, Directorate General of Health, Regional Health Directorates, and the kind technical support from the Center for Studies and Research on Social Dynamics and Health (CEIDSS). Romania: Ministry of Health. Russian Federation: WHO. San Marino: Health Ministry, Educational Ministry, and Social Security Institute and Health Authority. Serbia: WHO and the WHO Country Office (2015-540940 and 2018/873491-0). Slovakia: Biennial Collaborative Agreement between WHO Regional Office for Europe and Ministry of Health SR. Slovenia: Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia within the SLOfit surveillance system. Spain: Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition. Sweden: Public Health Agency of Sweden. Tajikistan: WHO Country Office in Tajikistan and Ministry of Health and Social Protection. Turkmenistan: WHO Country Office in Turkmenistan and Ministry of Health. Turkey: Turkish Ministry of Health and World Bank. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
