A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life
Ladies and gentlemen,
I'm delighted to have the honour of opening this international conference on the Joint Programming Initiative "A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life".
It's a topic that's never out of the media, with endless variations on whether carbs, fat, sugar or protein are good or bad, or reports on the latest wonderfood that will stop cancer in its tracks or help us live longer.
We are now relying on science and innovation to help us tackle the new public health challenge that is diet and lifestyle-related dis- eases such as overweight and obesity - sometimes described as the greatest public health challenge of our times.
It's a challenge that all member states are facing to different degrees, so it makes perfect sense both scientifically and economically - to pool our knowledge together.
That's why this Joint Programming Initiative is so important.
When Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life was launched, the Council of the European Union noted that in the last three decades the levels of overweight and obesity in the EU have risen dramatically, particularly among children, and that the trend of poor diet and low physical activity is getting even worse.
Many chronic conditions such as cancer, neurological and mental disorders, cardiovascular diseases, obesity and type 2 diabetes can be prevented or modified through better lifestyles and healthier diets.
Different projects are delivering insights such as how diabetes and obesity can be prevented, how they progress, how early diagnosis can improve quality of life, and how to select the best treatments.
But despite the improvements, much more needs to be done, particularly because of the trans-generational effects of obesity and diabetes.
Horizon 2020, Europe's 80-billion-euro research and innovation programme, is designed to tackle society's biggest challenges.
The two things that are most relevant to 'A Healthy Diet for A Healthy Life' are food safety and the bioeconomy, and health, demographic change and wellbeing.
For the next seven years (2014-2020), these challenges will fund the very best research on nutrition, health, diet-related disease and ageing and translate the knowledge gained into innovative and effective products, treatments, services and strategies to benefit all patients, and to prevent many people from developing disease in the first place.
It will require an unprecedented level of cooperation along the healthcare innovation chain, starting with researchers that char acterise diseases, to those who use this knowledge by developing new biomarkers, diagnostics and medicines and to regulators who evaluate and approve them.
Unfortunately, different attempts to encourage healthier eating have not yet led to major changes in patterns of food purchase and consumption.
That's where a multidisciplinary approach comes in, with health and nutrition research and innovation that includes the social sciences. We all know, for example, that understanding people's behaviours and their relationship to food and exercise is vital in helping them to make healthier choices.
I'm convinced that Horizon 2020 can make excellent progress on research and innovation for healthy diets and healthy lives.
There's no point in all this effort if the good intentions of the Research Agenda aren't turned into concrete action.
So, implementation is important, and this will be achieved first by coordinating national research programmes and activities.
Today's launch of the implementation plan marks a major step forward in putting the Strategic Research Agenda into action.
And I also encourage you to explore other avenues besides joint calls and knowledge networks to implement your Strategic Research Agenda such as linking to other relevant JPIs and by benefiting from common European research infrastructures.
Above all, in this critical phase of implementation, I urge the Member States participating in this JPI to unlock national funding for research and to actively engage in aligning national research programmes and innovation policies.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I wish you an excellent conference, full of innovative ideas and interesting discussions. I look forward to hearing the results.
Thank you.
A. Consult a dictionary or the internet and define the following words/phrases based on the text above A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life
a. wonderfood: Wonderfood is a term used to describe a type of food that is believed to have extraordinary health benefits or special properties. |
b. cardiovascular diseases: Cardiovascular diseases are a group of disorders that affect the heart and blood vessels, such as conditions like heart attacks, strokes, and diseases related to the heart and blood circulation. |
c. bioeconomy: Bioeconomy refers to an economic system that focuses on using renewable biological resources, like plants and animals, to produce goods, energy, and services in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. |
d. demographic change: Demographic change refers to changes in the characteristics of a population over time, including factors like birth rates, death rates, migration patterns, and shifts in the age distribution of a population. |
e. multidisciplinary approach: A multidisciplinary approach means bringing together knowledge and expertise from different fields or disciplines to solve complex problems or address issues by looking at them from various perspectives. |
f. economic inequalities: Economic inequalities refer to differences in income, wealth, or access to resources among individuals or groups within a society, where some people may have more opportunities and advantages than others. |
g. neurological disorders: Neurological disorders are conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, and nerves, leading to problems with functions like movement, thinking, or behavior. |
h. biomarkers: Biomarkers are measurable indicators or substances in the body that can be used to assess health, diagnose diseases, or monitor the effects of treatments. They provide important information about a person's health status. |
B. Complete the sentences below with words from the text above A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life
a. The children were especially delighted that there were enough cookies for each of them to have two. |
b. The organization held its annual conference in New York this year. The health ministers of more than forty countries attended it. |
c. It is innovation that makes any organization a successful one. |
d. Your life changes dramatically if you perform well in your study. |
e. Mr. Gurung is leaving the job because of neurological disease. |
f. Early diagnosis of a disease helps us to cure it soon. |
g. We have faced unprecedented level of climate change at present. |
h. The patient may need blood work or other biomarkers to determine his specific health problem. |
i. The world looked for different multidisciplinary solution to COVID-19. |
C. Choose the best alternatives to complete the following sentences
a. The greatest public health challenge at present is ……….. |
i. cancer ii. diabetes |
iii. obesity iv. cardiovascular disease |
Answer: iii. obesity. |
b.The Joint Programming Initiative will bring the ………….. of member states together. |
i. lifestyle ii. economy |
iii. challenge iv. knowledge |
Answer: iv. knowledge |
c. The health care innovation chain begins from …………… |
i. researchers ii. biomarkers |
iii. diagnostics iv. regulators |
Answer: i. researchers |
d. The need behind multidisciplinary approach is …………. |
i. the unchanged pattern of food purchase and consumption |
ii. the lack of effective treatments for patients |
iii. the poor quality of life |
iv. the lack of progress in research and innovation |
Answer: i. the unchanged pattern of food purchase and consumption |
e. Through this speech, the speaker wants to......... |
i. open the conference on the Joint Programming Initiative |
ii. invite new public health challenge |
iii. launch the programme 'A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life' |
iv. appeal the members of EU for collaboration for research and innovation |
Answer: iii. launch the programme 'A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life' |
Answer the following questions
a. What topic is the speaker talking about when she says, " It's a topic that's never out of the media...?" |
The speaker is talking about the topic of "A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life." |
b. According to the speaker, what is the cause of obesity among children in the EU? |
According to the speaker, the cause of obesity among children in the EU is the trend of poor diet and low physical activity. |
c. What should people do to prevent themselves from the diseases like type 2 diabetes? |
People should adopt better lifestyles and healthier diets to prevent themselves from diseases like type 2 diabetes. |
d. What is Horizon 2020? |
Horizon 2020 is Europe's 80-billion-euro research and innovation program designed to tackle society's biggest challenges. |
e. Why is research very important to fight against the health challenges? |
Research is important to fight against health challenges because it provides knowledge and insights to develop effective treatments and strategies. |
f. What result can Horizon 2020 give if it is implemented effectively? |
If implemented effectively, Horizon 2020 can result in innovative and effective products, treatments, services, and strategies to benefit all patients and prevent disease. |
g. What results does the speaker expect from the conference? |
The speaker expects the conference to generate innovative ideas and interesting discussions. |
h. Do you think that the people of the EU will be benefitted by this conference? If yes, what benefits will they get? |
Yes, the people of the EU can benefit from this conference by gaining knowledge, promoting healthier lifestyles, and potentially receiving improved healthcare services and treatments in the future. |
A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life Word Meaning
Word with Transcription |
delighted /dɪˈlaɪtɪd/ |
pleased, thrilled, overjoyed |
very happy or pleased |
conference /ˈkɒnfərəns/ |
meeting, convention, assembly |
a formal gathering of people to discuss or exchange ideas |
variations /ˌvɛriˈeɪʃənz/ |
differences, changes, fluctuations |
different forms or versions |
carbs /kɑːbz/ |
carbohydrates, starches, sugars |
a macronutrient found in food that provides energy to the body |
wonderfood /ˈwʌndərfuːd/ |
superfood, miracle food, healthy option |
a food that is believed to have exceptional health benefits |
relying /rɪˈlaɪɪŋ/ |
depending, trusting, counting on |
depending on someone or something for support or assistance |
innovation /ˌɪnəˈveɪʃən/ |
creativity, invention, improvement |
the introduction of something new or improved |
overweight /ˌoʊvərˈweɪt/ |
obese, heavy, fat |
having a body weight that exceeds a healthy range |
obesity /oʊˈbiːsɪti/ |
overweight, fatness, corpulence |
a medical condition characterized by excessive body fat |
chronic /ˈkrɒnɪk/ |
persistent, long-lasting, ongoing |
lasting or recurring over a long period of time |
neurological /ˌnjʊərəˈlɒdʒɪkəl/ |
brain-related, nerve-related |
relating to the study of the nervous system or the brain |
mental /ˈmɛntl/ |
emotional, psychological, cognitive |
relating to the mind or mental health |
cardiovascular /ˌkɑːrdioʊˈvæskjʊlər/ |
heart-related, circulatory |
relating to the heart and blood vessels |
diabetes /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz/ |
high blood sugar, glucose |
a medical condition characterized by high blood sugar levels |
insights /ˈɪnsaɪts/ |
understanding, knowledge, wisdom |
valuable or deep understanding or information |
trans-generational /ˌtrænzˌdʒɛnərˈeɪʃənəl/ |
across generations, intergenerational |
relating to effects or characteristics passed from one generation to another |
unprecedented /ˌʌnprɪˈsɛdɛntɪd/ |
unparalleled, exceptional, unheard of |
never done or experienced before; unprecedented level of cooperation |
cooperation /koʊˌɑːpəˈreɪʃən/ |
collaboration, teamwork, partnership |
working together for a common goal or purpose |
implementation /ˌɪmplɪmɛnˈteɪʃən/ |
execution, application, carrying out |
the process of putting a plan or idea into action |
behaviours /bɪˈheɪvjərz/ |
actions, conduct, habits |
the way in which someone acts or behaves |
convinced /kənˈvɪnst/ |
certain, sure, persuaded |
firmly believing or being confident about something |
intentions /ɪnˈtɛnʃənz/ |
plans, purposes, aims |
what someone plans or intends to do |
multidisciplinary-approach /ˌmʌltɪˌdɪsɪˈplɪnəri əˈproʊtʃ/ |
interdisciplinary method, diverse approach |
using knowledge and expertise from multiple fields to solve a problem |
implementation /ˌɪmplɪmɛnˈteɪʃən/ |
execution, application, carrying out |
the process of putting a plan or idea into action |
funding /ˈfʌndɪŋ/ |
financing, investment, sponsorship |
the provision of money or financial resources for a specific purpose |
aligning /əˈlaɪnɪŋ/ |
coordinating, harmonizing, integrating |
bringing into agreement or alignment |
attempts /əˈtɛmpts/ |
efforts, trials, endeavors |
actions taken to achieve a particular goal or outcome |
patterns /ˈpætərnz/ |
designs, arrangements, formations |
regular or recurring forms or sequences |
implementation /ˌɪmplɪmɛnˈteɪʃən/ |
execution, application, carrying out |
the process of putting a plan or idea into action |
innovative /ˈɪnəˌveɪtɪv/ |
creative, inventive, original |
introducing new ideas, methods, or products |
discussions /dɪˈskʌʃənz/ |
conversations, talks, exchanges |
formal or informal conversations or exchanges of ideas |
Extra Questions to Practice
Expandable FAQ Section
Why is a healthy diet important for a healthy life?
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A healthy diet is important because it provides our bodies with the necessary nutrients for growth, development, and overall well-being.
What are some lifestyle-related diseases mentioned in the text?
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Some lifestyle-related diseases mentioned in the text are overweight, obesity, cancer, neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes.
What does the speaker mean by "pooling our knowledge together"?
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Pooling our knowledge together means combining and sharing our expertise and information to work together towards a common goal.
How can chronic conditions be prevented or modified?
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Chronic conditions can be prevented or modified through better lifestyles and healthier diets.
What are biomarkers?
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Biomarkers are measurable indicators or substances in our bodies that can indicate the presence or progression of a disease.
What is the purpose of Horizon 2020?
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The purpose of Horizon 2020 is to address society's biggest challenges through research and innovation.
Why is research important in the fight against health challenges?
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Research is important because it helps us understand diseases, develop new treatments, and find ways to improve people's health and well-being.
What is a multidisciplinary approach?
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A multidisciplinary approach involves using knowledge and expertise from different fields or disciplines to solve complex problems.
How can understanding people's behaviors help them make healthier choices?
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Understanding people's behaviors helps us identify factors that influence their choices and design interventions or strategies to promote healthier habits.
How can national research programs and innovation policies be aligned?
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National research programs and innovation policies can be aligned by coordinating efforts, sharing resources, and setting common goals to achieve desired outcomes.
Why is it important to implement the Research Agenda?
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Implementing the Research Agenda is important to turn good intentions into action and achieve positive changes in healthcare and people's lives.
What are some challenges in encouraging healthier eating habits?
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Some challenges in encouraging healthier eating habits include people's existing preferences, cultural influences, and marketing tactics promoting unhealthy food choices.
How can the social sciences contribute to health and nutrition research?
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The social sciences can contribute by studying people's behaviors, attitudes, and social factors related to food and exercise, which helps develop effective interventions and strategies.
What are some potential benefits of the Joint Programming Initiative?
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Potential benefits of the Joint Programming Initiative include improved understanding of diseases, innovative products and treatments, and better overall health outcomes for individuals and communities.
How can individuals contribute to maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle?
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Individuals can contribute by making conscious choices, being physically active, consuming balanced meals, and seeking knowledge about nutrition and wellness.
Why is there a need for cooperation along the healthcare innovation chain?
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Cooperation along the healthcare innovation chain is needed to ensure that research findings are effectively translated into practical solutions and reach those who need them.
What are the trans-generational effects of obesity and diabetes?
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Trans-generational effects refer to the impact of obesity and diabetes on future generations, including an increased risk of developing these conditions.
How can research and innovation improve the quality of life?
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Research and innovation can improve the quality of life by developing new treatments, interventions, and strategies that address health challenges and promote well-being.
What role can national funding play in research and innovation?
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National funding can provide resources and support for research and innovation, enabling scientists and experts to carry out important studies and develop new solutions.
How can conferences like this one contribute to the field of health and nutrition?
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Conferences like this one provide a platform for sharing knowledge, exchanging ideas, and fostering collaborations, leading to advancements in health and nutrition research and practice.