Health4EUKids project presented to Malta’s Healthy Lifestyle Advisory Council
The Health4EUKids project, a three-year EU initiative addressing childhood obesity in low socio-economic communities, was presented to Malta’s Healthy Lifestyle Advisory Council on 20th August 2025.
The Advisory Council, established under the Healthy Lifestyle Promotion and Care of Non-Communicable Diseases Act (Act III of 2016), meets monthly to coordinate national action on healthier living. The legislation created an inter-ministerial approach to encourage physical activity and balanced diets across all ages, with the aim of reducing non-communicable diseases.
At the meeting, Ms Sharon Vella presented the steps implemented in the project and Council members, including Malta’s Superintendent of Public Health Professor Charmaine Gauci, discussed the outcomes of the project and gave feedback on strategies to ensure its long-term sustainability.
Project highlights
Over the past three years, Health4EUKids has delivered a wide range of community-based activities, including:
- – Family education programmes on nutrition and physical activity, including hands-on cooking sessions.
- – School-based summer initiatives to promote healthy eating and active lifestyles among primary school children.
- – Supermarket nutrition campaigns where experts advised shoppers on choosing foods lower in fat, sugar, and salt.
Project researcher Ms Sharon Vella outlined these achievements and invited Council members to contribute ideas, partnerships, and policy support to extend the project’s positive impact beyond its original scope.
“The intensive work carried out through this project must be sustained, with dedicated funding to engage professionals who can build on these results,” said Professor Charmaine Gauci, Superintendent of Public Health. “With the right support, we can make a real difference. Our goal now is to ensure these results endure and benefit future generations.”
The Health4EUKids project aligns with Malta’s national strategy to combat childhood obesity and promote healthier lifestyles, while supporting the EU’s broader commitment to reducing health inequalities.
#HaDEA
The “HEALTH4EUkids” Joint Action aims to implement health promotion and prevention strategies for child obesity across European countries. It seeks to share best practices and research findings, particularly focusing on the initiatives Grunau Moves from Germany and Smart Family from Finland. The project involves knowledge transfer, cooperation between member states, policy development, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles in families and communities. Its goal is to prevent childhood obesity, increase physical activity and healthy diet, and ensure the sustainability and transferability of successful practices to other member states.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s EU4HEALTH Programme under the Grant Agreement no 101082462