PAN Calls for Healthy Diets at the Heart of EU Cardiovascular Health Plan
In recognition of World Heart Day, we have joined 19 organisations representing civil society, health associations, and medical professionals in co-signing a letter to European Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi. Together, we are calling on the European Commission to ensure that healthy, sustainable diets are placed at the core of the forthcoming EU Cardiovascular Health Plan.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death and disability in Europe, claiming more than one in three lives and affecting over 60 million people every year. The cost to the EU exceeds €280 billion annually in healthcare, lost productivity, and informal care. Behind these figures are countless families and communities facing the daily realities of heart disease, stroke, and related conditions.
One of the most significant, and preventable, drivers of cardiovascular disease is unhealthy diets. Too many Europeans lack access to nutritious, affordable food, with diets often dominated by processed products high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats, and low in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. These dietary patterns also increase risks of diabetes, obesity, and cancer, and contribute to deepening health inequalities across the region.
A call for systemic change
In the joint letter, we urge EU policymakers to take decisive steps to create food environments that support healthier choices and prevent disease. Among the key measures recommended are:
Making healthy food affordable and accessible to all, particularly vulnerable groups.
Reformulating processed foods to reduce salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats, while improving nutritional quality.
Protecting children from aggressive marketing of unhealthy products, both online and offline.
Ensuring healthy, sustainable meals in schools and public institutions.
Using EU funds and fiscal policies to support foods that benefit public health and to discourage those that do not.
Nutrition as a cornerstone of healthcare
At PAN, we believe that prevention starts with nutrition. By reshaping food systems and prioritising healthier diets, Europe has the opportunity not only to reduce cardiovascular disease, but also to improve outcomes for diabetes, cancer, and other non-communicable diseases.
As physicians and healthcare professionals, our mission is clear: tackling heart disease means tackling unhealthy diets. We will continue to advocate for nutrition to be recognised and integrated as a cornerstone of healthcare, for healthier people and a healthier planet.