European Heart Health Initiative

The origins of EHHI

Public health became a European Union (EU) policy objective with the adoption of the Maastricht Treaty in 1993 and the Amsterdam Treaty in 1997. Its Article 152 made a high level of human health a constituent part of EU policy making, to be accomplished through cooperation between its Member States and with EU action focused on the prevention of diseases through research and through health information and education. A European Commission public health framework programme, adopted in 1993, led to a variety of health programmes, inter alia on cancer, drugs and AIDS. Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) was covered to a limited extent by the action programme on health promotion, information, education and training.

To give CVD its rightful place on the EU public health map, EHN consulted with the European Commission in 1995 regarding the possibility of launching a European 'year of the heart and quality of life' or perhaps a European Heart Week. These discussions led to a Commission-sponsored expert report on European action in the field of CVD prevention, The European Heart Health Initiative, published in February 1997.

The objectives of EHHI

The report made a very strong plea for an EU action strategy on CVD prevention to help reduce heart disease as a major cause of early death. It proposed that such an EU strategy should concern itself with:

  • education & training;
  • effective interventions to persuade people to convert to a healthier lifestyle;
  • a policy that would actively favour improved health;
  • research in health promotion and behavioural changes;
  • the monitoring of risk factors.

The longer-term objective was to determine the present state of health, i.e. eating, smoking and exercise patterns in the populations, find and share ways of changing these patterns, and identify those involved in the change process. The report suggested three phases for implementing EHHI:

  • The first phase:
    Create and strengthen alliances between organisations involved in CVD prevention at both national and European level, to facilitate the exchange of information and the identification and prioritisation of the needs in CVD prevention;
  • The second phase:
    A series of special events, to be launched by a conference on Valentine's Day 2000, to focus the public's attention on matters of heart health;
  • The third phase:
    Continuing national action, based on the priorities set in the first phase, with a view to achieving the longer-term objective of improved heart health.

The EHHI project was implemented over five years during which period is was financially supported by the European Commission.

Outcomes of the EHHI

The EHHI project has produced the following outcomes:

  • A conference on CVD prevention, held as ‘Winning Hearts’ on 14 February 2000, the first Saint Valentine’s Day of the new millennium (a video of the conference was also produced);
  • An opinion survey on CVD prevention among members of the national parliaments in the countries participating in EHHI and among Members of the European Parliament, the results of which were announced at a press conference held on the same day as “Winning Hearts”;
  • A CVD screening of Members of the European Parliament (and a report hereof);
  • A statistic report  ‘European Cardiovascular Disease Statistics’;
  • A periodical bulletin ‘Heart Matters’;
  • A paper on ‘Children and Young People – the Importance of Physical Activity’;
  • Guidelines for building national alliances for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases;
  • National Aciton Plans to increase physical activity - a report setting out findings and recommendations from a review of action plans to increase physical activity among children and young people carried out by the participants in the EHHI.

 

  • National action plans to increase physical activity among young people and children

  • December 15th 2003

  • This report sets out findings and recommendations from a review of European Heart Health Initaitve members' action plans to increase physical activity among children and young peoplePlease click on the pdf file below to read the full document.

  • Guidelines for Building National Alliances for the Prevention of CVD

  • September 01st 2003

  • Please find herewith the document prepared in the framework of the EHHI project on Guidelines for Building National Alliances for the Prevention of CVD.Please click on the document below to read the full text.

  • Children and Young People; the importance of Physical Activity

  • December 01st 2001

  • It is known that physical activity is an important factor in maintaining a healthy heart. Practising healthy dietary habits and remaining smoke free are other factors that must be considered equally, but this paper is concerned only with physical activity. It sets out the nature of the problem and proposes realistic approaches to solving it. Everyone who has contributed to this paper is adamant on this point: raising levels of physical activity in the population is one key to managing the burden of CVD. An insufficient level of physical activity is an issue of concern to all European Union countries as well as to the candidate countries.  

  • Winning hearts

  • February 14th 2000

  • Preview The conference 'Winning Hearts - Actions and Policies for a Healthier Europe' was held on 14 February 2000 (St Valentine's Day). Recommendations were made on how heart-healthy considerations can be given their proper place in EU and national policy making.The 'Winning Hearts - Actions and Policies for a Healthier Europe' Conference Report is available to download below.

  • European Politicians on Health and Heart Survey 1999 - 2000

  • February 01st 2000

  • Preview The Parliamentary Survey (October 1999 - February 2000) was carried out by the European Heart Network and its members in the framework of the European Heart Health Initiative. The purpose of the survey was to get an overview of European politicians' knowledge of the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and their understanding of their role in providing a political environment conducive to the prevention of CVD.The table of contents include the methodology and main conclusions of the survey and is available to download below.

  • The case for a European Heart Health Initiative

  • February 28th 1997

  • In spite of a widespread belief that cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have been conquered, CVD remains the number one cause of death in Europe, taking more lives than all other causes combined. Of the approximately 1.5 million who die each year from CVD, 15% die before reaching the age of 65. For every person who dies each year of CVD, many more are suffering, either under medical care or living at reduced capacity. The full document can be downloaded from the pdf file below.  

SEE MORE