Open letter to Commissioner: expert organisations call for healthy and affordable diets in EU Cardiovascular Health Plan

On World Heart Day, 20 expert organisations representing civil society, health associations and medical professionals, including the European Heart Network (EHN), issued an open letter to Commissioner Várhelyi. They stress that addressing unhealthy diets is amongst the most impactful and cost-effective ways to reduce cardiovascular disease across the EU. As the EU develops its Cardiovascular Health Plan, it is imperative to address one of the most preventable yet pervasive risk factors.

Unhealthy diets contribute significantly to CVD in Europe, being responsible for almost half of the years lost to early death and disability. Low intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts, coupled with excessive consumption of salt, saturated fats and animal products, directly increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and related conditions. Preventing CVD by tackling its main drivers through community and system interventions such as fiscal policies and marketing restrictions is by far the most cost-effective strategy to reduce its burden.

The signatories call on the European Commission to ensure that the upcoming EU Cardiovascular Health Plan includes commitments to:

• Make healthy and sustainable food more affordable and accessible, particularly in schools and public institutions.
• Reformulate processed foods to cut salt, sugar and unhealthy fats.
• Roll out harmonised, colour-coded front-of-pack nutrition labelling.
• Restrict the marketing of unhealthy food and drinks to children.
• Use fiscal policies to support healthy choices and stop public funding for the promotion of unhealthy products.