Health at a Glance: Europe 2016
State of Health in the EU Cycle

This fourth edition of Health at a Glance: Europe presents key indicators of health and health systems in the 28 EU countries, 5 candidate countries to the EU and 3 EFTA countries. This 2016 edition contains two main new features: two thematic chapters analyse the links between population health and labour market outcomes, and the important challenge of strengthening primary care systems in European countries; and a new chapter on the resilience, efficiency and sustainability of health systems in Europe, in order to align the content of this publication more closely with the 2014 European Commission Communication on effective, accessible and resilient health systems. This publication is the result of a renewed collaboration between the OECD and the European Commission under the broader "State of Health in the EU" initiative, designed to support EU member states in their evidence-based policy making.
Physical activity among adults
Physical inactivity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, as well as a number of other chronic diseases including diabetes, certain types of cancer, obesity and hypertension (Knight, 2012). Regular physical activity improves chances of living longer, strengthens bones and muscles, helps control body weight and improves mental health and mood. It has also been shown to have positive effects on symptoms of anxiety and clinical depression (Anderson et al., 2013; Richardson et al., 2005).
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