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The World Heart Federation encourages public actions designed to
stop and reverse the recent increase in the prevalence of obesity
in most countries of the world. The number of obese adults globally
has reached over 300 million. In developing countries 115 million
people suffer from obesity-related health problems, which include
heart disease, hypertension, non-insulin dependent diabetes and
high levels of cholesterol. Approximately 22 million children under
five years are obese across the world and many more are overweight.
Underweight/ overweight and general malnourishment coexists in several
parts of the world.
Being aware of this
information and the consequent substantial impact on the burden
of cardiovascular disease, the World Heart Federation is taking
action to control and prevent this epidemic of obesity, in addition
to maintaining its focus on the harmful effects of tobacco.
Improving diet and increasing
physical activity of individuals and populations are not achievable
solely by promoting individual awareness and individual knowledge.
Collective action, including the development of international strategies,
together with supportive government policies, are essential in order
to advance public health and minimise the hazards associated with
a global epidemic of obesity. Proactive involvement with food, sport
and other industries is also critical.
Established Actions
Today, the World Heart
Federation is active in the following fields of nutrition and physical
activity:
- International collaboration
has been actively developed with non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) such as the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) and
the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF).
- The World Heart Federation
is one of the international NGOs consulted for the World Health
Organization's Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and
Health.
- WHF is actively involved,
together with UICC, in a World Health Organization conference
on "Health Promoting Schools".
- The theme for 2004's
World Heart Day is "Children, Adolescents and Heart Disease",
with a focus on children and obesity. The objective of this global
health promotion programme is to increase awareness in the population
throughout the year through media activity and to implement many
street activities on the day itself. The theme for 2005's World
Heart Day is "Obesity".
- Through its national
members, the World Heart Federation supports the development of
food labelling programmes, for example, an approval symbol of
healthy products, the "Pick the Tick" programme in Australia and
New Zealand, the "Heart Mark" programme in South African, explanations
for consumers in supermarkets, and the "Visitas a supermercados"
programme in Portugal.
- Through its national
members, the World Heart Federation develops physical activity
programmes, including the "Jump Rope for Heart" programme that
teaches skipping skills in schools in many countries.
- The knowledge gained
from these national programmes is shared with our 175 member Societies
of Cardiology and Heart Foundations from over 100 countries.
Current and Planned
Actions
The World Heart Federation
is intensifying its focus on obesity by developing and actively
supporting the following nine major initiatives:
1. Supporting the World
Health Organization's strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and
Health through its adoption at the World Health Assembly in May
2004 and its subsequent implementation.
2. Calling for an international alliance with other global NGOs
(IOTF, UICC, International Diabetes Federation, International
Council of Nurses, etc.) against an environment likely to favour
the development of obesity and to develop a stronger advocacy
voice so that there is greater professional, public and political
support for action. The World Heart Federation proposes a specific
internet network to strengthen international action against obesity
and to share positive experiences.
3. Increasing
awareness of the obesity epidemic and the benefits of healthy
diets and physical activity among the population and policy-makers
through active use of the media.
4. Making people aware
that childhood obesity is a crucial risk factor for later ill
health. Healthy nutrition for children is part of the United Nations
Convention of the Rights of the Child. Article 17 encourages the
development of appropriate guidelines for the protection of the
child from information and material injurious to his or her well
being. Obesity is not just a matter of individual responsibility;
children should be protected from an environment leading to obesity.
5. Protecting children:
- Replace advertisements
for candy, snacks, fast foods and soft drinks on television
aimed at children and shown at times and on programmes commonly
watched by children with advertisements promoting healthy lifestyles.
- Make fruits
and vegetables readily available.
- Replace unhealthy foods in vending machines by healthy foods.
- Place healthy options near the cash register in supermarkets.
- Develop easy to understand information content and labelling
on packaging and in restaurants.
- Protect children in schools by minimising the sale of soft
drinks, candy bars and food high in calories, fat or sugar.
- Encourage healthy school meals.
- Increase physical activity in schools by providing playgrounds
and sports facilities.
6. Stressing among
families and teachers the importance of traditional food and enhancing
the value of healthy cooking skills.
7. Creating public/private
partnerships so as to improve content labelling on all foods,
to decrease portion size, to reduce salt and sugar levels, to
encourage fat substitution and to implement education programmes
on nutrition to help people achieve energy balance.
8. Promoting increased
physical activity by any sustainable form of exercise.
9. Advocating to governments
through World Heart Federation members:
- To provide incentives
to communities to develop areas for physical activity such as
bicycle paths, jogging trails, and sports areas (swimming pools,
tennis courts, ball fields, etc.).
- To develop zoning laws to encourage footpaths.
- To adopt price policies to make healthy foods (fruits and
vegetables) more affordable to all and, where relevant, increase
the price of energy dense foods.
- To make healthy choices easy choices (availability of reduced
fat milk, salad options, vegetable based dishes, etc.).
- To change school-based curricula to increase physical activity.
- To use legislation when voluntary action is insufficient.
The World Heart Federation's
mission statement is:
The
World Heart Federation helps people achieve a longer and better
life, through prevention and control of heart disease and stroke,
with a focus on low and middle-income countries.
Website: www.worldheart.org
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