Switzerland backs WHO anti-obesity plan

Obesity can be combatted by a healthy diet and exercise Keystone

Switzerland is pushing for the adoption of a global strategy for tackling obesity at this year’s World Health Assembly in Geneva.

Officials from 192 countries are currently taking part in the annual meeting, which is also focusing on HIV and Aids prevention and treatment.

“Switzerland is lending its full support to the strategy on nutrition and physical activity proposed by the World Health Organization,” said Gaudenz Silberschmidt of the Swiss Federal Health Office.

“It’s very important that governments, consumers and industry work together to change our eating and exercising habits in a fundamental way,” he told swissinfo.

His comments were echoed by the WHO director-general, Jong-wook Lee, who stressed the need for progress in the development of public health.

“There are many health challenges we must overcome, including the detection of emerging, new diseases, combating those which have been with us for decades, and the risks linked to an unhealthy diet,” said Lee.

Diet debate

Health experts are due to begin debating the proposed Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health on Wednesday.

The blueprint, which has been in the works for two years, emphasises the importance of eating vegetables, fruit and low-fat food, as well as reducing sugar and salt intake and boosting exercise.

According to the WHO, the intake of fats, sugar and salt – blamed for many illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes – contributes to 60 per cent of the world’s 56.5 million preventable deaths each year.

Silberschmidt points out that in the United States obesity is expected to overtake tobacco use as the number one cause of preventable deaths by next year – a trend that has Swiss health officials worried.

Worrying trend

“In Switzerland, tobacco is still ahead of obesity in terms of health problems but the figures are clearly going in the wrong direction for adults and children,” Silberschmidt said.

“So I can only express our hope that the strategy will be adopted, because we need a common approach even if it won’t change the world overnight,” he added.

Last week, diplomats said some sugar-producing countries, including Brazil, Cuba and Mauritius, were still lobbying against the draft WHO proposal, while the US appeared ready to “live with it”.

But at the start of the Assembly on Monday, Silberschmidt said he sensed that delegates were cautiously optimistic that the plan would be adopted this week.

“It’s promising to see that a good part of industry does understand the need to work together and they are ready to collaborate with us in order to bring about change, so we’re confident that it will pass.”

Disease

In addition to discussing obesity, officials are expected to debate ways of offering affordable drugs to millions of HIV and Aids sufferers.

The WHO estimates that 40 million people are infected with HIV and has launched an ambitious initiative to bring affordable, life-extending drugs to three million HIV carriers in the poorest countries by the end of 2005.

Silberschmidt said Switzerland fully supported the initiative, known as the “3 by 5” plan.

But he added that the Swiss delegation also planned to underscore the need for HIV prevention.

Avian flu virus, Sars and the WHO’s chances of eradicating polio are also expected to top the assembly’s agenda.

swissinfo, Anna Nelson in Geneva

Key facts

According to the WHO, the intake of sugar, salt and fats contributes to 60% of the world’s 56.5 million preventable deaths each year.
10%-20% of men and 10%-25% of women in the developed world are estimated to be obese.
42% of Swiss men and 28% of Swiss women are classed as overweight.
Three times as many Swiss children are overweight today as 20 years ago.
Some 40 million women, men and children are infected with HIV/Aids worldwide.