Food & Health Alliance

In May 2004, the World Health Assembly adopted the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, a worldwide framework to promote physical activity and healthier diets. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also identified obesity as one of the key areas for public health action. The Regional Office for Europe is now also paying increasing attention to promoting physical activity as an important component of public health action.

This document, Steps to health: a European framework to promote physical activity for health, is an important move in that direction; it is intended to give extra emphasis on physical activity as a necessary part of national public health work and provide guidance on how to act on this health determinant in such work. With its key messages and recommendations from leading international experts, the document is based on recent research in this area. It also emphasises a comprehensive multisectoral approach.

It is anticipated that the document will provide guidance to Member States, experts and policy-makers on designing and implementing physical activity-promoting policy and action as part of the national public health agenda and through multisectoral cooperation.