Roadmap to harmonisation

An inventory of current surveillance systems for diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour was developed to identify priorities within surveillance and improve current surveillance methodologies.

Bel-Serrat S. et al. Eur J Public Health. 2017.

A road map towards a harmonised pan-European surveillance system targeting dietary behaviour, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour was developed. It builds on the previously developed inventory of current surveillance systems and describes the needed steps to harmonise comparable key health indicators across Europe.

Hebestreit A. et al. Int J Public Health. 2019.

Selecting and prioritising indicators

A total of 139 key indicators for dietary behaviour, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour were prioritised in an iterative selection process by an expert panel including researchers, policy makers, and representatives of major European surveillance and monitoring systems.

Garnica Rosas L. et al. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act. 2021.

Searchable catalogue of key indicators

A searchable catalogue of key indicators for dietary behaviour and physical activity was derived by mapping previously prioritised key indicators to existing and current monitoring and surveillance systems.

Stanley I. et al. Eur J Public Health. 2022.

This factsheet provides an overview of the searchable catalogue. (Last accessed on 24 May 2023)

Stanley, I et al. Factsheet. 2022.

The website presents the online version of the Policy Evaluation Network (PEN) EU policy indicator searchable catalogue of key health indicators for dietary behaviour and physical activity and sedentary behaviour.

PEN Consortium. Online source. 2022.

Questionnaire modules proposed for harmonisation (SIMPLE Modules)

The guidance document describes the development and usage of seven unified questionnaire modules for dietary behaviour and physical activity - Selected Instruments for Multilevel Policy and Impact Evaluation (SIMPLE) modules. (Last accessed on 24 May 2023)

Messing S. et al. Guidance document. 2021.

This factsheet provides an overview of the SIMPLE modules. (Last accessed on 24 May 2023)

Hebestreit, A. et al. Factsheet. 2022.

Function of the Methodological Competence Platform

Unified questionnaire modules were discussed with representatives of major European surveillance systems to explore barriers and facilitators for implementation. Further, a methodological competence platform was proposed to guide the stepwise harmonisation process of European health indicators.

Hebestreit A. et al. Eur J Public Health. 2022.