The European Commission encourages the creation of a joint program between the member states to promote research and prevention of diet-related diseases.It will identify the needs and objectives in this field through a strategic agenda.

The actions of the "A healthy Diet for a healthy life" will promote exchanges of information, methods and resources to work jointly on the investigation of diet-related diseases. With this objective, a strategic agenda that will contain an implementation plan that will establish priorities, timetables, measures, tools and resources for the implementation of the programme has been stablished.

The Commission issued these recommendation on April 28 after evaluating the increased prevalence of several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, stroke, certain cancers, musculoskeletal disorders and even various mental illnesses.

If only common risk factors related to lifestyle, including those related to diet, were deleted, about 80% of cases of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes and 40 % of cancers could be avoided.

EU is fighting against these diseases: it plans to cut cancer rates by 15% by 2020, according to the Communication on a European Partnership for Action Against Cancer issued by the European Commision in June 2009, and is attacking cancer on two fronts - by encouraging a healthy lifestyle and funding research into cancer treatments.

Moreover, the commitment on a heathy diet follows the path of other campaigns like "The tasty bunch", that took healthy eating activities to 18 000 kids in 180 schools.