To increase collaboration between public health professionals in the area of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD Office) in Moscow organized a series of online seminars for early career researchers. The series addresses a wide range of NCD-related topics and is aimed at empowering the research community and promoting united action for better health and the European Programme of Work across the WHO European Region.
NCDs estimated to account for 86% of all deaths in the Region
NCDs are the most challenging health issue in the European Region. Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and mental disorders, if taken together, account for an estimated 86% of all deaths in the Region, the highest percentage in the world.
Supporting young health professionals
WHO supports networking throughout career stages. It recognizes that today young professionals are faced with very limited opportunities for networking, meeting collaborators and sharing ideas with new colleagues from different countries.
The Seminar Series for Early Career Researchers provides support in this area by offering virtual networking opportunities. This online format was successfully used to encourage informal and productive small group discussions following the main presentations.
The aim of the seminars is to build the capacity of young professionals from WHO collaborating centres and centres of excellence who work closely with the NCD Office. In this way, the NCD Office continues to support the future of vital research to improve public health and prevent NCDs.
With the first in the series taking place in July 2020, the seminars have addressed the following topics:
- impact of health literacy on tackling the issue of NCDs
- behavioural insights for the prevention and management of NCDs
- vegetarian and vegan diets and their impact on health.
Plant-based versus omnivorous diet: what’s new?
The latest seminar in the series took place in late October and was dedicated to comparing different types of diets and assessing their effects on aspects of health. Risk factors for many NCDs are linked to diets and nutrition.
Plant-based diets are becoming more popular across Europe, and there has been a large increase in the number of vegan products available. However, a large proportion of these are ultra-processed foods, which are often energy dense and high in fat, salt and sugars. We need more information on the health impact of these foods, and whether they change the relationship between plant-based diets and NCD risks.
Evidence from the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, was presented during the latest online seminar and shows that vegetarians and vegans combined have approximately the same hazard ratios for breast, prostate and colorectal cancers as people who choose an omnivorous diet, but have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
The research also suggests that the lower level of serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol often seen in vegetarians and vegans may reduce risks of ischaemic heart disease, but at the same time can raise the risk of haemorrhagic stroke, therefore contributing to the total stroke burden.
More than 40 young professionals from 9 countries across the Region joined the NCD Office seminars and were provided with the opportunity to virtually meet representatives from the Youth Coalition on NCDs and talk first-hand to world-recognized experts. The seminars also included a session dedicated to young professionals, giving participants the chance to share their research and experiences.
For further enquiries about upcoming seminars please contact the NCD Office at ncdoffice@who.int