Answer given by Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission
10.2.2022
The Commission is dedicated to improving health and wellbeing of vulnerable groups, children and young people included. An example is Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan[1], which will work to improve health promotion and disease prevention through access to healthy diets.
The Cancer Plan will notably update the scientific evidence of the European Code against Cancer[2]. The Commission does however not collect data on eating disorders as such.
The Commission is also working on an initiative to support countries to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases. It will focus on cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, mental health and neurological disorders, as well as health determinants (such as nutrition) in coordination with the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan[3].
The actions will be discussed with the Commission expert group ‘Steering Group on Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Management of Non-Communicable Diseases’ [4]. The Member States may prioritise nutrition and obesity issues in this context.
Horizon Europe[5] provides opportunities for research on eating disorders. Calls for proposals are published in the ‘Funding & tenders opportunities’ portal[6], including on ‘Towards a molecular and neurobiological understanding of mental health and mental illness for the benefit of citizens and patients’[7] and ‘Boosting mental health in Europe in times of change’[8].
Under the 2022 EU4Health Work Programme[9], two new calls for proposals[10] have been announced for actions to tackle mental health challenges focusing on young people. The Commission is not currently planning to promote information campaigns targeting young people.
- [1] https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/default/files/non_communicable_diseases/docs/eu_cancer-plan_en.pdf
- [2] https://cancer-code-europe.iarc.fr/index.php/en/ecac-12-ways/diet-recommendation
- [3] https://ec.europa.eu/health/non_communicable_diseases/overview_en
- [4] https://ec.europa.eu/health/non_communicable_diseases/steeringgroup_promotionprevention_en
- [5] https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en
- [6] https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home
- [7] https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-hlth-2021-stayhlth-01-02
- [8] https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-hlth-2022-stayhlth-01-01-two-stage
- [9] https://ec.europa.eu/assets/sante/health/funding/wp2022_en.pdf
- [10] Each with an with an indicative budget of EUR 4 million, and in line with the activities of the European Year of Youth