NCDs, obesity and liver health – Can the EU turn the tide?

The Healthier Together – EU Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) initiative (2022–2027) aims to help EU Member States reduce the burden of major chronic diseases. As the end of this initiative approaches, non-communicable diseases – including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and liver conditions – remain among the EU’s most pressing and complex health challenges.According to the European Parliamentary Research Service, 51% of the EU population aged 16 and over is overweight, and 17% is obese. Rising rates of overweight and obesity, poor diet, alcohol consumption and metabolic dysfunction are key drivers of NCDs across Europe. Among the conditions linked to these risk factors is Steatotic Liver Disease (SLD), a spectrum of liver disorders characterised by excess fat accumulation in liver cells that can progress to inflammation, fibrosis and cirrhosis. Despite its growing prevalence – affecting an estimated four in ten adults worldwide – SLD remains largely absent from EU health strategies, including Healthier Together.The lack of attention to liver health within the broader NCD agenda risks leaving a major gap in prevention and care, which in turn could significantly undermine efforts to reduce the impact of chronic diseases across Europe. A more integrated approach that links obesity, metabolic health and liver disease prevention is urgently needed.Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to explore how the EU can strengthen its response to NCDs, ensure obesity is addressed as a key risk factor, and integrate under-recognised conditions such as SLD into a more holistic approach to NCD policy. Key questions to be discussed include:• What is the current state of NCD prevention in the EU, and how might this evolve in the next policy cycle?• Which strategies are most effective for addressing obesity and other key risk factors, and how can Member States strengthen prevention and early intervention?• How can the EU maintain health as a priority across interconnected sectors such as food, digital and social policy?• How can liver health be better integrated into existing and future NCD strategies?• What tools are available for early detection and management of SLD, and how can their uptake be supported across Member States?