PHA-Exchange> STATES ENDORSE UN HEALTH AGENCY STRATEGIES TO FIGHT OBESITY AND IMPROVE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

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 from Vern Weitzel <vern.weitzel at undp.org> -----

STATES ENDORSE UN HEALTH AGENCY STRATEGIES TO FIGHT OBESITY AND IMPROVE 
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
New York, May 23 2004  9:00AM
Aiming to fight lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases, countries meeting 
in Geneva have adopted the World Health 
Organization (WHO) Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health.

This action by the annual World Health Assembly gathering on Saturday is 
considered especially urgent since these illnesses -- 
which include cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and 
obesity-related conditions -- now account for some 60 
per cent of global deaths and almost half of the global burden of disease.

"This is a landmark achievement in global public health policy and provides our 
Member States with a powerful instrument, which 
will enable them to develop effective and integrated national strategies to 
reduce the human and socioeconomic costs of 
non-communicable diseases," said WHO Director-General Dr. Lee Jong-wook.

He also pointed out that the burden of death, illness and disability caused by 
noncommunicable diseases "is now greatest in 
developing countries, where those affected are on average younger than in the 
developed world."

The strategy emphasizes the need to limit the consumption of saturated fats and 
trans fatty acids, salt and sugars, and to 
increase consumption of fruit and vegetables and levels of physical activity. 
It also addresses the role of prevention in health 
services; food and agriculture policies; fiscal policies; surveillance systems; 
regulatory policies; consumer education and 
communication including marketing, health claims and nutrition labelling; and 
school policies as they affect food and physical 
activity choices.

The World Health Assembly also endorsed a new strategy on reproductive health 
in a bid to combat the spread of sexually 
transmitted disease and make pregnancy and childbirth safer.

That plan targets five priority areas: improving antenatal, delivery, 
postpartum and newborn care; providing high-quality family 
planning services,
abortion; combating sexually transmitted infections; and promoting sexual 
health.

"Unsafe sex is one of the biggest risks to our health today, largely as a 
result of acquiring sexually-transmitted infections, 
such as HIV/AIDS," said Joy Phumaphi, WHO's Assistant Director-General of 
Family and Community Health. "It is fundamental to the 
social and economic development of communities, economies and nations."

Each year, some 8 million of the estimated 210 million women who become 
pregnant suffer life-threatening complications related to 
pregnancy, many experiencing long-term effects. In 2000, an estimated 529,000 
women died during pregnancy and childbirth from 
largely preventable causes.
 

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