Healthier populations

Healthier populations

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Creating a healthier world involves working to promote and sustain health and well-being at all ages, leaving no-one behind.

 

Many of the factors that threaten health and well-being today lie beyond individual control. Promoting healthier living offers pathways that address these factors in a coordinated way and translate global commitments into local action.

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 
Areas of work

Championing health across all goals

 


WHO emphasizes work on healthier populations to advance towards a world where all people enjoy healthy lives and well-being, living in safe, supportive and healthy environments as members of an inclusive society. WHO’s Triple Billion targets and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a bold and ambitious agenda for achieving healthier populations and a more sustainable world.

WHO is committed to helping the world meet the SDGs by championing health across all the goals. Our core mission is to promote health, alongside keeping the world safe and serving the vulnerable. Beyond fighting disease, we work to ensure healthy lives across the life course and promote well-being for all at all ages, leaving no-one behind.


 

 

 

 

 

Areas of work

Health promotion

 


We work to enhance people’s well-being and reduce their health risks associated with tobacco use, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity, thereby contributing to better population health. We develop and implement cross-cutting normative, fiscal and legal measures and capacity development tools. We advance global health in health literacy, community engagement strategies and good governance for health, and foster public health action in the settings of every-day life.


 

 

 

 

Mother reading a book for her young children whilst sitting on a bench and kissing the head of her little boy.

 

Areas of work

Social determinants of health

 


We work to address the social, physical and economic conditions that impact upon health, by compiling and disseminating evidence on what works to address these determinants, building capacity and advocating for more action.




 

 

 

 

Young Buddhist monks helping themselves to breakfast.

Areas of work

Food safety and nutrition

 


WHO is addressing the burden of disease from physical, chemical and microbial hazards in food and unhealthy diets, maternal and child malnutrition, overweight and obesity.


 

 

Brothers walking in the shallows of the water as a firefront moves up the beach.

Areas of work

Environment, climate change and health

 


We pursue a healthier environment by strengthening health sector leadership, building mechanisms for political and social support and monitoring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals regarding environmental threats to health.