Air Quality
Approximately 90% of EU citizens are being exposed to one of the most harmful atmospheric pollutants at levels the World Health Organisation considers a danger to their health. New WHO research results show that air pollution can be dangerous even at concentration levels lower than the present limits. According to the European Environment Agency this pollution causes none less than 400 000 premature deaths each year in the EU. This particularly affects vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, children, the elderly, people suffering from severe respiratory disease and low-income groups. Moreover, the World Health Organisation’s Cancer Agency has confirmed that air pollution may cause long cancer. The Impact Assessment published by the European Commission mentions health-related external costs ranging between €330 billion and €940 billion per year, which is the equivalent of 3 to 9% of the European GDP. Costs include not only the impact of ill-health on those who experience it, but also economic costs related to lost workdays, loss of well-being and of life quality and expectancy. Childproof and COFACE Families Europe have jointly proposed an amendment for the protection of vulnerable groups, in particular children, for the effects of air quality on their health. In drawing up national programmes, Member States should take into account best practices in addressing, inter-alia, the most harmful pollutants under the scope of this Directive with respect to sensitive human population groups.
Preventing Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is on the rise in Europe. Depending on the country, between 19-49% of boys and 18-43% of girls are overweight or obese. Many factors explain such a phenomenon: less physical activity, unhealthy diets and eating habits. COFACE Families Europe has developed a tool to help raise awareness about the impact advertising may have on the eating behaviours of both adults and children. Through a two hour session targeting teachers and trainers, COFACE provides all the necessary knowledge and tools to organize parent evenings or even school lessons about how advertising can influence eating habits. The training includes a professionally designed powerpoint, a trainer’s guide, practical activities and an online portal which includes all the material needed to carry out a training.
RELATED NEWS:
COFACE Families Europe statement from the conference on shaping a healthy environment fit for children Helsinki, 4th October 2019, MEDIA RELEASE Families want a healthy environment for their children to thrive and develop their own wings. However, they face a…
Families want a healthy environment for their children to thrive and develop their own wings. This year, we celebrate the 30 years of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. For the occasion and with Sustainable Development…
On the 18 and 19 of September the Finnish Presidency of the EU hosted in Helsinki the High-Level Conference on the Economy of Wellbeing, organised by the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. Similar to the values of the…
On the 3rd of July, seven civil society organisations, including COFACE-Families Europe, left the European Platform for Diet, Physical Activity and Health. This course of action was prompted by the Platform's inability to address key problems that civil society organisations…
Brussels, 3rd July 2019 Our organisations (BEUC, EHN, EPHA, CPME, COFACE, World Obesity, and IBFAN) have, with regret, taken the decision to leave the European Platform for Diet, Physical Activity and Health (hereafter ‘the Platform’). One in two adults in…
Europe has the oldest and most rapidly ageing population of any continent in the world. It is expected that between 2016 and 2060, the proportion of older people in Europe will rise from 19,3% to 29% of the total population.…
Energy poverty is a widespread problem across Europe, as between 50 and 125 million people are unable to afford proper indoor thermal comfort. A common European definition does not exist, but many Member States acknowledge the scale of this socio-economic…
The poor nutritional quality of too many foods (too much fat, too much sugar, too much salt) is one of the main causes of chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Furthermore, the information given on packaging is…
Early detection programmes for congenital hearing loss have been successfully extended in different countries, especially in developed countries such as Spain, where this was formalized in 2003 by the Ministry of Health and the autonomous communities of Spain. A document…
The Council of Europe is the continent’s leading human rights organisation. It includes 47 member states including those of the European Union. All members of the Council of Europe have signed the European Convention on Human Rights, a treaty designed…
The Association of German Family Organisations (AGF) joined the German cooperation network on equal health opportunities. The network includes around 70 institutions and organisations and forms a conceptual framework on the exchange of the development of political and supply measures…
While the European Parliament is discussing a Strategy for long-term on greenhouse gas emissions reduction in accordance with the Paris Agreement and the future vision for a climate neutral economy, a new research by Open Exp reveals a majority of…
| Contact the secretariat: Rue de Londres 17,1050 Brussels, Belgium +32 2 500 56 90 - secretariat@coface-eu.org | Review our PRIVACY POLICY |
|---|
COFACE Families Europe is supported by the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) This website is produced with the support of the European Commission but does not necessarily express its views - Copyright © 2016 COFACE Families Europe aisbl - All Rights Reserved