Nutrition and physical activity are major determinants of health
Poor diets, insufficient physical activity and excess body weight contribute substantially to the burden of non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and several forms of cancer.
Responsibility for health promotion and prevention remains largely with the Member States, but many determinants are influenced by the Single Market and by policies that operate across borders.
The EU therefore acts through a combination of health policy, food law, agriculture, consumer information, audiovisual regulation, research, sport, transport and regional policy.
The 2007 Strategy: the original integrated framework
The Commission's White Paper COM(2007) 279 on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity-related Health Issues established an integrated European approach to tackling poor nutrition, overweight, obesity and insufficient physical activity.
The strategy emphasised food reformulation, responsible marketing, consumer information, physical activity, partnerships and stronger monitoring. It also recognised that effective action requires cooperation across health, agriculture, education, transport and other policy areas.
The White Paper remains an important Commission reference, but it should now be read as the historical foundation of a much broader current prevention framework, rather than as the only instrument guiding EU action.
Healthier Together: the current NCD prevention framework
The Healthier Together – EU Non-Communicable Diseases Initiative covers the period 2022–2027 and supports Member States in identifying and implementing effective actions to reduce major non-communicable diseases.
Its horizontal strand on health determinants is particularly relevant to nutrition, physical activity, health promotion and the reduction of inequalities.
The initiative focuses increasingly on implementation: identifying priorities with Member States, transferring validated good practices and using EU4Health and other programmes to support their deployment.
Food environments and healthier diets
EU nutrition policy is not limited to encouraging individuals to make healthier choices. It also seeks to influence the environment in which those choices are made.
Important areas include food reformulation, nutrition labelling, nutrition and health claims, restrictions on industrial trans fats, marketing to children, school food and public procurement.
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 requires a nutrition declaration on most pre-packed foods, while Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 governs nutrition and health claims used on labels, presentation and advertising.
EU legislation also limits industrial trans fats to 2 grams per 100 grams of fat in food intended for the final consumer and retail, excluding trans fats naturally occurring in animal fat.
Farm to Fork and healthy sustainable diets
The Farm to Fork Strategy, COM(2020) 381, adopted on 20 May 2020, added an important food-system dimension to European nutrition policy.
It seeks to make healthy and sustainable food more available and affordable and identifies consumer information, food reformulation, sustainable public procurement and healthier food environments as areas for action.
The Strategy also announced harmonised mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labelling and nutrient profiles restricting claims on foods high in fat, sugars or salt. However, these intentions should not be confused with current law.
As of September 2026, EU law still does not require one harmonised mandatory front-of-pack nutrition scheme. Front-of-pack nutrition information remains voluntary under the existing FIC framework, subject to its conditions.
Promoting physical activity
EU action on physical activity extends beyond sport. It includes health promotion, education, active transport, urban design and measures intended to make walking, cycling and everyday activity easier.
The 2013 Council Recommendation on Health-Enhancing Physical Activity across sectors established a common monitoring framework and encouraged Member States to develop cross-sectoral policies.
That work continues under the EU Work Plan for Sport 2024–2027, which identifies participation in sport and health-enhancing physical activity as one of its three principal priority areas.
Main areas of EU action
Children and the EU School Scheme
The EU School Scheme supports the distribution of fruit, vegetables, milk and certain milk products in schools, together with educational activities promoting healthier eating habits.
The current EU budget is approximately €220.8 million per school year. Indicative allocations are established for the period from August 2023 to July 2029, while the future of the programme beyond 2027 is already part of the EU's next-budget legislative discussion.
Knowledge, evidence and best practices
The Commission's Joint Research Centre supports policy through the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Knowledge Gateway, which provides evidence on nutrition, food environments, obesity and other determinants of non-communicable disease.
The Commission also identifies and supports the transfer of public-health best practices, including initiatives addressing healthy eating and active lifestyles.
