Healthy lifestyles and prevention are key topics for the nursing community. Nurses are uniquely placed to act as a health coach and to help prevent non-communicable diseases by supporting healthy lifestyles. This central role for nurses in healthy lifestyles guidance was acknowledged and explored by the ENS4Care project, that published a series of evidence-based guidelines for nurses deploying e-Health services. The first of these guidelines, on prevention, provides examples of how individual nurses and social workers can use internet-based technology to promote healthy lifestyles. For the same reason, the EFN engaged with the European Public Health Week, an initiative aiming at raising awareness of public health and celebrating healthy populations.
In a similar vein, back in 2017, the European Commission launched the Tartu Call for a Healthy Lifestyle to promote healthy lifestyles through health, sport, education and food policies. Launched as a joint-action of three Commissioners: Phil Hogan (agriculture and rural development), Tibor Navracsics (education and training) and Vytenis Andrikiukaitis (health and food safety), the call includes 15 action points relating to the promotion of physical activity, healthy eating, and highlights the Commission’s firm commitment to enhance cooperation between the European institutions and the EU Member States to promote these.
Two years after the call was launched, the EFN was invited to a stock talking seminar, in the presence of Commissioners Navracsics and Andriukaitis, as well as Jerzy Plewa on behalf of Commissioner Hogan. The Commissioners raised the main achievements and impact of the Tartu Call, explaining that healthy lifestyles and healthy habits are more embedded in the EU citizens than ever before – particularly among children in scholar age.