The ephna

WHO WE ARE

The EPHNA is a joint force of centres that are responsible for nutrition and health communication at country or regional level. Our starting point is public health nutrition. Our starting point is public health nutrition, by which we mean:

  • Nutrition affecting the whole population, including production, distribution and consumption of and access to food ans sustainability.
  • With a focus on individuals and the social and physical environment
    • For individuals with focus on knowledge, attitudes, skills, competences.
    • For social and physical environment with focus on to make the healthy choice the easy choice.
  • Physical activity and other relevant psycho-social aspects are seen as part of the nutrition balance.

VISION

EPHNA is the key player for nutrition communication by building a European alliance that facilitates the work of national partner-centres responsible for nutrition and health communication. This will lead to all Europeans being provided with the most adequate information on nutrition to maintain a healthy and active life.

MISSION

  • EPHNA provides leadership on nutrition communication in Europe by combining the strength of the national partners.
  • EPHNA supports WHO in their nutrition communication work.
  • EPHNA shapes the political agenda, by drawing attention to nutrition-related issues.

TARGETS

EPHNA takes leadership on nutrition communication in Europe by combining the strength of the national partners by:

  • Exchanging information, expertise and experiences of good practice (on changing behaviour and environment).
  • Developing best practice models for nutrition communication through the life course.
  • Developing communication strategies on the implementation of national models for food based dietary guidelines .
  • Developing ready to use tools for the national partners, e.g. to reach vulnerable target groups.
  • Enhance a special nutrition topic, e.g. enhance vegetable consumption.
  • Rolling out a European nutrition campaign to communicate the practical and easy to use nutrition recommendations for European consumers.

EPHNA supports WHO in their nutrition communication work by:

  • Transferring basic national scientific nutrition recommendations into practical and easy to use recommendations for European consumers (e.g. further development of 5 keys to the healthy diet of WHO).
  • Support WHO in implementing the ICN2 framework for action.

EPHNA helps to put nutritional topics on the political agenda (eg. creating a better food environment in settings, food reformulation etc.) by:

  • Eg. organise round tables with relevant actors to get joint request for political action.

EPHNA facilitates to build up a centre for nutrition and health communication in countries who have none by:

  • Delivering a blue print for such a centre.
  • Build up a task force, offering workshops etc.
  • Support countries to do basic communication work, e.g. website etc.
Participating countries