1. No category

High Level Conference „Healthy lifestyle: nutrition and physical activity for
children and young people at schools”
23 – 24 February, 2015, Riga, Latvia
The aim of the Conference – to assess the implementation progress of strategic documents on nutrition and
physical activity in the European Union Member States and to discuss the future challenges in order to
enhance the implementation of the policies striving to reduce childhood obesity and to promote healthy
lifestyle.
Monday, 23 February, 2015
08:00–09:00 Registration and coffee
Opening of the Conference and welcome address
Chair: Ms. Egita Pole, Ministry of Health, Latvia
09:00-09:30
Dr. Guntis Belēvičs, Minister for Health, Latvia
Mr. John F. Ryan, European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Dr. Gauden Galea, World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe
Part I – Introduction
Session 1: Strategies for promoting healthy eating habits, physical activity and reducing
inequalities among children and young people - data, research, initiatives
Chair: Prof. Ģirts Briģis, Rīga Stradiņš University, Latvia
09:30–11:00 1. European Union policy and strategies to tackle childhood obesity (Mr. Philippe Roux,
European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety)
2. Political choices and supportive environments for healthy living (Dr. Agis Tsouros,
World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe)
3. Tackling childhood obesity: WHO strategies for promoting healthy eating habits and
physical activity for children (Dr. João Breda, World Health Organization, Regional Office
for Europe)
4. Improving lifestyles, tackling obesity: the health and economic impact of prevention
(Adjunct Prof. Michele Cecchini, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development)
5. Looking at health from a gender perspective: expanding the framework of the Gender
Equality Index to take in to account health behaviour (Dr. Anne Laure Humbert,
European Institute for Gender Equality)
11:00–11:30 Coffee break/ Press conference
Part II – The role of the school food policy in promoting healthy lifestyle
Session 2: Nutrition for children and young people at schools
Chair: Dr. Andis Brēmanis, Latvian Dietitian Association, Latvia
11:30-13:30
1. School food policy in Latvia: challenges and potential (Ms. Egita Pole, Ministry of
Health of Latvia)
2. School food arrangement in Estonia (Dr. Tagli Pitsi, National Institute for Health
Development, Estonia)
3. Nutritional standards for healthy school meals in Hungary (Dr. Éva Martos, National
Institute for Food and Nutrition Science, Hungary)
4. The ToyBox-study – a European kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention
aiming to prevent obesity in early childhood (Associate Prof. Yannis Manios, Harokopio
University, Athens, Greece)
5. Special catering at schools for children with coeliac disease, food allergies, lactose
intolerance etc.: related challenges and the role of the dietitian (Prof. Agneta Hörnell,
Umeå University, Sweden)
13:30–15:00
Lunch
Session 3: The impact of enabling school environment in promotion of healthy lifestyle
Chair: Associate Prof. Dzintars Mozgis, Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of Latvia
15:00–17:00 1. The importance of school environment in healthy habits formation (Dr. Iveta Pudule,
Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of Latvia)
2. A whole school approach to healthy eating: the European perspective (Mr. Goof Buijs,
Schools for Health in Europe Network)
3. Health education in school curriculum and the role of health literacy (Adjunct Prof. Ilona
Kickbusch, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva)
4. The impact of food advertising and marketing on children’s food choices and childhood
obesity development - policies and actions on reducing food marketing to children
(Adjunct Prof. Tim Lobstein, World Obesity Federation)
5. The role of advertisers in reducing marketing of HFSS food to children (Mr. Stephan
Loerke, World Federation of Advertisers)
Tuesday, 24 February, 2015
9:00–10:00
Registration and coffee/ Modern technologies exhibition
Part III – Physical activity: innovative solutions for promoting healthy lifestyle
Session 4: Physical activity – its role at school, involvement of local government, availability of
infrastructure
Chair: Mr. Edgars Severs, Ministry of Education and Science, Latvia
10:00–12:00 1. Physical activity and lifelong enjoyment of exercise - Norway (Ms. Eli Karin Flagtvedt,
Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, Norway)
2. Physically active lifestyle outside the formal education (sports for all) (Ms. Susanne
Hollmann, European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture)
3. Promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyle: Urban planning, infrastructure &
environment (Dr. Sirpa Sarlio-Lähteenkorva, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland)
4. The role of local governments in supporting active living for all (Dr. Agis Tsouros,
World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe)
12:00–13:30 Lunch and coffee/ Modern technologies exhibition
Session 5: Mobile applications, modern technologies and other innovative solutions
Chair: Mr. Aivars Gribusts, education company “Lielvārds”, Latvia
13:30-14:40
1. Mobile applications and other innovative solutions - the approach in educating about
healthy lifestyle (Mr. Robert Begier, European Commission Directorate-General for
Communications Networks, Content and Technology)
2. The national best practices in tackling childhood obesity by using innovative solutions
and modern technologies:
2.1. Country case – United Kingdom (Mr. Myles Bremner, School Food Plan, United
Kingdom)
2.2. Country case – Germany (Dr. Ute Winkler, Federal Ministry of Health, Germany)
2.3. Country case - Latvia (Mr. Andris Čeksters, Vaycals, Latvia)
Future challenges and actions for reducing obesity and promoting healthy lifestyle among children
and young people
Moderator: Dr. Edijs Bošs, Public Television journalist, Latvia
14:40–15:40 Dr. Pēteris Apinis, Latvian Medical Association
Dr. João Breda, World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe
Mr. Artur Furtado, European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Dr. Yolande Wagener, Ministry of Health, Luxembourg
Dr. Daniela Galeone, Ministry of Health, Italy
Summary and challenges
Chair: Ms. Egita Pole, Ministry of Health, Latvia
15:40-16:00 Mr. John F. Ryan, European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Dr. Agis Tsouros, World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe
Ms. Mārīte Seile, Minister of Education and Science, Latvia
Dr. Guntis Belēvičs, Minister of Health, Latvia