Professor Sanja Music-Milanovic, the wife of Croatia's President Zoran Milanovic, on Tuesday attended the panel discussion "Pursuing Well-being, Equity and Healthy Societies through Sustainable Fiscal Policies" in New York and highlighted obesity as an increasingly concerning health issue.

Croatia’s First Lady participated in this panel discussion co-hosted by the Government of Norway, UNDP, and WHO Regional Office for Europe.

During the event on the topic on focusing on healthier lives and prosperity for all as key to sustainable development and peace, Music-Milanovic pointed out the synergy of health and economic policies for the promotion of public health and well-being of the population.

As for obesity and overweight, she said that this issue is an increasing health issue that adversely affects Gross Domestic Product of European countries. It could affect even more than 2% of GDP, according to her speech.

Long-term commitment and involvement of all social sectors are necessary to deal with this issue, she said.

Music-Milanovic spoke about the Zagreb declaration adopted at a summit meeting of European leaders’ spouses on the prevention of obesity in children, which was organised in Zagreb by the Croatian president’s office and the WHO’s Office for Europe in mid-May.

The declaration emphasises that it is necessary that the World Health Organization set up a European obesity prevention centre.

Croatia has expressed its will and readiness to locate that centre in Zagreb, she added.

The Zagreb Declaration brings a number of recommendations related to diet, physical activity, the promotion of breastfeeding, measures in kindergartens and schools, support for parents, and health services for overweight children.

It is estimated that in only 12 years, 28 million children in 53 countries in the European region will be obese, and that this preventable epidemic will cost European society $800 million by 2035.