The European Commission’s

science and knowledge service

Joint Research Centre

Recent developments

and publications

Disclaimer: This presentation and its contents do not constitute an official position of the European Commission or any of its services. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use which might be made of this presentation or its contents

Jan Wollgast

Joint Meeting of the High Level Group on Nutrition

and Physical Activity and the EU Platform for

Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health

30 November 2017, Luxembourg, LU

2

Promoting healthy lifestyles through health, sport, education and food policies

-> Tartu call for a healthy lifestyle

https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/promoting-healthy-lifestyles-through-health-sport-education-and-food-policies_en

https://ec.europa.eu/sport/sites/sport/files/ewos-tartu-call_en.pdf

3

End of Sugar quota and a New Sugar Market Observatory

"The very last agricultural quota system in place, managing sugar production in the European Union, will be scrapped on 30 September 2017, after nearly 50 years."

https://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/market-observatory/sugar_en

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-3487_en.htm

https://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/sugar/doc/factsheet-end-sugar-quota_en

"The aim of the Sugar Market Observatory is to provide the EU sugar sector with more transparency by means of disseminating market data and short-term analysis in a timely manner."

4

Health at a glance 2017 "Healthier lifestyles and better health policies drive

life expectancy gains"

• "While smoking rates continue to decline, there has been little success in tackling obesity and harmful alcohol use, and air pollution is often neglected."

http://www.oecd.org/health/healt

h-at-a-glance-19991312.htm

5

Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 -> now 84 risk factors included

-> Here: the risk factor 'Low physical activity'

Lancet 2017; 390: 1345–422;

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32366-8

(GBD 2016), http://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool

6

Planning cities to boost physical activity

• >80% of European population projected to live in urban areas by 2030

• Report discusses options to improve physical infrastructure and spaces

• Showcases several successful examples from across Europe

• Looking for 'win-win' scenarios in which other challenges cities face are also addressed

http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/physical-

activity/news/news/2017/11/planning-cities-to-boost-physical-activity

7

Articles in scientific (peer-reviewed) journals

- Focus on physical activity

8

Higher physical activity is associated with a lower

risk of mortality and CVD events in individuals

from low-, middle, and high-income countries

Prospective cohort study with participants (35-70 years old) from 17 countries in urban, rural areas, in and around cities and towns

Compared with low physical activity (<150 min/week), moderate (150-750 min/week) and high (>750 min/week) of PA were associated with graded reduction in mortality and major CVD.

Both recreational and non-recreational physical activity were associated with benefits

The greatest reductions occurred at the lowest and continued to be present at very high levels of physical activity with no indication of a ceiling effect

The Lancet (2017), [Epub ahead of print] ; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)31634-3

9

Benefits of physical activity on arterial stiffness

can be already observed in pre-pubertal children

Study: 6-8 year old children Sedentary time and physical activity time and intensity were

assessed using combined acceleration and heart rate monitoring Findings: Higher levels of moderate PA and vigorous PA were associated with

lower arterial stiffness regardless of sedentary time ≥ 68 min/d of PA exceeding the intensity of five METs or ≥ 26

min/d of PA exceeding the intensity of six METs were optimal to reduce arterial stiffness

Conclusions: Engaging in at least moderate-intensity PA is key in maintaining

normal arterial function already in childhood

Pediatr Exerc Sci. (2017); 29(3): 326–335; http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/pes.2016-0168

10

Regular physical activity of any intensity may

help preventing depression

Study: Prospective design following healthy adults for 11 years Findings: Regular leisure-time exercise was associated with reduced

incidence of future depression but not anxiety Protective effect occurred at low levels of exercise and was

observed regardless of intensity Social and physical health benefits of exercise explained a small

proportion of the protective effect

Am J Psychiatry. 2017, [E-pub ahead of print]; http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.16111223

11

Evaluating the impact of classroom-based

physical activity interventions on academic and

physical activity outcomes

Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Classroom-based physical activity had a positive effect on

improving on-task and reducing off-task classroom behaviour, and led to improvements in academic achievement

However, no effect was found for cognitive functions or overall physical activity levels

Caution in interpreting the results from this study is warranted due to the high heterogeneity of and often low methodological quality in original studies

Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017;14(1):114; http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0569-9

12

Evaluating the effectiveness of school-based

physical activity interventions for adolescent girls

Background: Physical activity decreases during the transition from childhood to

adolescents, particularly in girls. Objective: To assess the impact and design of school-based PA interventions

targeting adolescent girls (systematic review and meta-analysis) Findings: There was a significant but very small positive treatment effect for

school-based PA interventions for adolescent girls Effects seen for multicomponent interventions and interventions

underpinned by theory

Prev Med. 2017;105:237-249; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.09.018

13

Evidence for absence of an 'overweight paradox'

Background: Controversy around association between BMI and mortality Objective: To investigate the relationship between maximum BMI over 16

years and subsequent mortality in large prospective study groups Findings: Maximum BMI in overweight/obese ranges was associated with

increases in risk for all-cause death and death from CVD/CHD. In contrast, significant inverse association between overweight and

mortality when BMI was defined using a single baseline measurement

Conclusions: The paradoxical association of overweight and mortality is reversed

when including weight history (max BMI), which may be due to minimisation of reverse causation bias potentially associated with single BMI measurement.

Ann Intern Med. 2017;166(9):613-620; http://dx.doi.org/10.7326/M16-1390

14

Evidence for absence of an 'overweight risk

paradox' also in older adults

Objective: To estimate associations between combined measurements of BMI and waist-

to-hip ratio (WHR) with mortality and incident coronary artery disease (CAD) in 'healthier agers' (non-smokers, no disease-associated weight loss)

Findings: Ignoring WHR, no difference in risk for mortality between normal weight and

overweight (BMI 25-<30) individuals Higher WHR in normal weight subjects was associated with increased

mortality Higher WHR & overweight was associated with substantial excess mortality

and incidence of CAD Higher levels of physical activity was an independent protective factor, but PA

did not interact with the observed risk from overweight & central adiposity

Author's conclusions: 'The claimed BMI-defined overweight risk paradox may result in part from

failing to account for central adiposity, rather than reflecting a protective physiologic effect of higher body-fat content in later life.'

Am J Clin Nutr 2017;106:130–5; https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.116.147157

15

Weight gain during early and middle adulthood

is associated with significantly increased risk of

major chronic diseases later in life

Health professionals (women/men) recalling their weight at 18/21 years were followed for an average of 18/15 years from age 55 onwards

Compared with participants who maintained a stable weight (weight loss ≤2.5 kg or gain <2.5 kg), those who gained a moderate amount of weight (≥2.5-<10.0 kg) had increased incidence of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity-related cancer, and mortality.

The more weight was gained from early to middle adulthood the higher was the risk of a composite outcome measure of major chronic diseases

JAMA. 2017;318(3):255-269; http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2017.7092

16

JRC Science Hub:

ec.europa.eu/jrc

Twitter and Facebook:

@EU_ScienceHub

LinkedIn:

european-commission-joint-research-centre

YouTube:

JRC Audiovisuals

Vimeo:

Science@EC

Stay in touch!