With prevailing lifestyle habits, the annual number of new cases of heart and cardiovascular disease is expected to increase by 51 percent over the next 50 years.
Among the measures that can be taken to prevent this development, improved eating habits are pointed out as the most effective, according to a new report commissioned by the Public Health Agency and produced by the Heart-Lung Foundation.
Anette Jansson, policy expert at the Heart-Lung Foundation, believes that the report shows how important it is to promote healthier food at the societal level.
A way forward is to regulate consumption by introducing regulations and taxes on unhealthy food, while healthy food is subsidized.
Youth habits are particularly important
To make it easier to choose healthy food, Anette Jansson also proposes clearer labeling of products. It is particularly important for children and young people to develop good habits.
We have come a long way when it comes to school meals. But in some places, it can be difficult to access healthy food, for example, in swimming halls and sports halls, where children and young people often spend time. There, municipalities could introduce procurement rules for vendors, since the halls are often under municipal management.
"Easier to prioritize"
If Swedes continue to eat and live as they do today, the number of people falling ill with heart and cardiovascular disease is expected to increase. If the entire Swedish population instead ate according to the National Food Agency's recommendations, 20,000 fewer people would fall ill by 2075 compared to this year.
Presenting scenarios like these, where different risk factors can be compared, makes it easier for decision-makers to know which areas need to be prioritized, says Anette Jansson.
Other risk factors mentioned in the report include smoking, overweight, and lack of physical activity.
