To mark the fourth anniversary of the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity & Health, Robert Madelin, Director General for Health and Consumers (DG SANCO) of the European Commission speaks to EUFIC about the maturation of this multi-stakeholder platform, the power of co-operative voluntarism, with accelerated outputs to address nutrition and health issues in Europe.
The EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity & Health started out in 2005 as an informal experiment. Four years on, it has been recognised by the College of Commissioners, the European Parliament, and the Council of Ministers of the EU Member States for its valuable contribution to Europe’s Nutrition Strategy.
Studies referred to in the interview:
1. EPODE Study in France:
Monique Romon, Agnes Lommez, Muriel Tafflet, Arnaud Basdevant, Jean Michel Oppert, Jean Louis Bresson, Pierre Ducimetière, Marie Aline Charles and Jean Michel Borys. Downward trends in the prevalence of childhood overweight in the setting of 12-year school- and community-based programmes. Public Health Nutrition, In Press
doi: 10.1017/S1368980008004278, Published online by Cambridge University Press 23 Dec 2008
2. References proposing a levelling off or decrease in childhood obesity:
France
Péneau S, Salanave B, Rolland-Cachera MF, Castetbon K, Hercberg S. (2008) The prevalence of overweight and obesity in 7-9 year old children in France is stable between 2000 and 2007. International Journal of Obesity 32:S196
Sweden
Sjoberg A, Lissner L, Albertsson-Wikland K, Marild S. (2008) Recent anthropometric trends among Swedish school children: evidence for decreasing prevalence of overweight in girls. Acta Paediatrica 97(1):118-23
E Sundblom, M Petzold, F Rasmussen, E Callmer and L Lissner. (2008) Childhood overweight and obesity prevalences levelling off in Stockholm but socioeconomic differences persist. International Journal of Obesity 32:1525–1530
Switzerland
Aeberli I, Amman RS, Knabenhans M, Zimmermann MB. (2008) The national prevalence of overweight in school-age children in Switzerland has decreased between 2002 and 2007. International Journal of Obesity 32:S214
Italy
Lazzeri G, Rossi S, Pammolli A, Pilato V, Pozzi T, Giacchi MV. (2008) Underweight and overweight among children and adolescents in Tuscany (Italy). Prevalence and short-term trends. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene 49(1):13-21
Biography of Robert Madelin
Robert Madelin became Director-General for Health and Consumer Protection in January 2004. He has overall responsibility for the day-to-day running of the work of the Directorate-General in its three main areas: public health, food safety and consumer protection.
He previously served in a variety of postings (1997-2003) as a Director in the Directorate-General for Trade, where he had the chance to work on a range of issues, including: access to medicines, agriculture, biotechnology, corporate responsibility, food and product standards, global governance, intellectual property, investment, services, sustainable development, and relations with the Asia-Pacific.
Prior to this, he was Deputy Head of Cabinet to Sir Leon (now Lord) Brittan, European Commission Vice-President.
Robert Madelin was born in 1957. He married Marie-Christine Jalabert in 1990. He was educated in England, at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe, and at Magdalen College, Oxford. He joined the British Civil Service in 1979, serving mainly in London and Brussels and joined the Commission in 1993. He studied at the Ecole Nationale d’Administration, Paris in 1983-4.
Click here to learn more about the EU Platform, membership and commitments
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