Prevention of Nutritional Diseases, Health Promotion

Health-related epidemiological data for children and young people reveal incipient deficits in the fields of nutrition, exercise and stress regulation that can manifest themselves in the form of usually chronic diseases later in life. This is why the Federal Institute of Public Health primarily concentrates its work in the field of prevention of nutritional diseases on the target group of children and young people, pursuing an integrated approach in this context. The fundamental concept of the work of this Section is not to address health-related topics in isolation, such as nutrition or exercise, but to network individual subject areas of relevance to health. Consequently, all projects are generally based on an integrated approach covering the topics of nutrition, exercise and stress regulation.

A number of interactions exist between nutrition, exercise and stress (at both the physiological and the behavioural level) that make it appear recommendable to combine these approaches in establishing and promoting health-relevant behaviour:

The supply of nutrients and energy lays the foundation for age-appropriate exercise behaviour. It creates the ability to perform and regulates the willingness to perform through the availability of nutrients and energy.

In the reverse direction, exercise behaviour creates a nutrient and energy demand that regulates nutrient intake through the feeling of hunger and fullness. If the energy demand is high, it is easier to secure the supply of the vital nutrients necessary for development.

There are likewise physiological and behaviour-controlling connections between nutrition and stress regulation. A nutrient deficiency and a reduced energy supply (as necessarily occur in all weight-reducing diets) constitute a stress factor that the body has to counteract, e.g. by means of increased feelings of hunger and certain food preferences.

An integrated approach involves more than just combining content relating to nutrition, exercise and stress regulation. It is important to describe the framework conditions in the field and offer assistance both for practical work and for structural improvement. Not only are the scientific foundations described to this end. In collaboration with professionals, the intervention field and its framework conditions are also presented, goals for the intervention defined, and appropriate working aids developed. These are then tested and detailed in practical projects before being disseminated.

Project development, the development of target group-oriented media for target groups and mediators, and implementation of the approach in the field pay special attention to the following points:

• Availability of scientifically sound expertise,
• Professionalism and specialist training of the mediators,
• Gearing to the setting of the target group,
• Opportunities for discussions and contact,
• Sustainability,
• Everyday suitability and favourable ambient conditions.

Therefore, an event-oriented approach is selected for all projects.

This means creating health-related events in the close environment and world of experience of children that are fun for the children, contain clear messages and are remembered positively.
Information materials on healthy nutrition