Changes in the population structure, evolving disease patterns, increasing health inequalities and a transforming environment challenge health systems. Although smoking has been declining in many OECD countries, unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, hazardous alcohol use and other risk factors have spread widely, driving non-communicable diseases and mortality. To address these issues, OECD works to support the development of well-concerted population approaches under strong public health systems.

Our work explores major risk factors including obesity, diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption, tobacco and environmental risks. We study the spread of these risk factors in populations, past and projected future trends, inequalities by socioeconomic status and the determinants underpinning these risk factors. Moreover, we identify effective and efficient policies to tackle risk factors and prevent major non-communicable diseases (NCDs). We produce evidence of the health and economic impacts of alternative approaches, through modelling and identification of best practices.

Antimicrobial resistance

• Addressing the burden of infections and antimicrobial resistance associated with health care – Focus on G7 countries (October 2022)
• Antimicrobial Resistance in the EU/EEA: A One Health Response (March 2022)
• Stemming the Superbug Tide - Just A Few Dollars More (November 2018)

Obesity, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity

• The Heavy Burden of Obesity - The Economics of Prevention (October 2019)
• Latest Obesity Update (May 2017)

Best practices in public health

• Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles - Best Practices in Public Health (June 7, 2022)
• Guidebook on Best Practices in Public Health (March 8, 2022)

Opioids

• Addressing Problematic Opioid Use in OECD Countries (May 2019)

Harmful alcohol consumption

• Blog: Women and Alcohol: Policy options to address problem drinking (July 2022)
• Watch the webinar on Women and Alcohol (March 2022)
• Preventing Harmful Alcohol Use (May 2021)
• Tackling Harmful Alcohol Use: Economics and Public Health Policy (May 2015)

Pollution and environment

• Healthy people, healthy planet (November 2017)

Health promotion

• Promoting Health and Well-being at Work - Policy and Practices (November 2022)

Public health reviews 

• OECD Reviews of Public Health: Latvia - A Healthier Tomorrow (December 2020)

The OECD is a global leader in modelling public health threats and in evaluating the return on investment of innovative policy options to tackles these threats. The family of OECD models to support Strategic Public Health Planning (SPHeP) are designed to inform and support the decision-making process in countries at all levels of income and for all the key public health risks, including unhealthy lifestyles, non-communicable diseases and infectious diseases.

• Read Modelling life trajectories of body-mass index, OECD Health Working Paper N° 132 (November 2021)
• Read our brochure OECD’s SPHeP Models: A tool to inform strategic planning in public health (October 2020)
• Learn more about the OECD's SPHeP Models

The OECD is one of the 42 intergovernmental organisations part of the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases (UNIATF). UNIATF was established in 2013 to coordinate the activities of the UN System and other relevant intergovernmental organisations to support the realisation of the commitments made by Heads of State and Government in the 2011 Political Declaration on NCDs. Joint activities included in the work plan of the Task Force are additive to various, more comprehensive efforts conducted by the individual organisations to prevent and control NCDs. These joint activities offer important opportunities to address cross-cutting issues and to advance capacity and learning in countries.

• Read our brochure UNIATF-OECD: Responding to the Challenge of NCDs (released January 2021)
• The UNIATF website provides additional information on the activities and the functioning of the Task Force
• For more information on the activities of OECD as part of the UNIATF, please contact [email protected]