31/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - EU Health Ministers, in conclusions adopted on Thursday 31 May, express their concern that in the European Union as a whole, chronic, non transmissible ailments, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, back and joint complaints, and obesity, which could have been avoided through early prevention measures, are on the increase. Council called on member states (1) to reduce the number of overweight and obese people, especially children, in line with the targets set out in the Badenweiler Memorandum and in the European Charter on Counteracting Obesity; (2) to improve health promotion, healthy nutrition and physical activity at all levels and in all sectors of political decision-making and implementation, such as agriculture, environment, urban planning and building projects, transport, education, family and youth, the economics sphere, research, as well as in the workplace to improve employees' health and performance and reduce absenteeism. (oj)