Active Ageing: promoting actions for healthy and active ageing.

Women over 65 are the among the most vulnerable population group

"In Europe - according to Eurostat data - women constitute over 50% of the population. 87 million Europeans are over the age of 65 and among them, there are 50.5 million women with a longer life expectancy than men. On average, a woman lives 6 years more than a man but often in poorer conditions in terms of health and the economic situation. For example, in Europe, about 7 million people are affected by mental illness and among them almost 5 million are women, compared with little more than 2 million men", said Roberta Angelilli MEP.

These are just some of the findings discussed today during the EPP Group Hearing on 'The prevention of age-related diseases of women' organised by Vice-President of European Parliament Roberta Angelilli MEP, who is also EP Rapporteur on a text that will be adopted in the coming months by the Parliament.

"Information is crucial for preventing further disease and to make women aware of the possible risks to their health. For example, it is not sufficiently well known that cardiovascular disease affects more women than men", said Mrs Angelilli.

"The key words are 'prevention' and 'information', essential elements for a strategy that should see all the policy-makers involved, particularly the specific associations, national and European institutions, media and administrations at local level. On the occasion of the European Year for Active Ageing, the EU Institutions should cooperate with national and local partners to inform the public opinion in terms of prevention strategies to promote virtuous behaviours to accompany a healthy and active ageing for all", concluded Roberta Angelilli MEP.

The Hearing was attended by the European Commission, Eurostat, the World Health Organisation, Age Platform Europe, the European Institute of Women's Health, Italian expert Professor Walter Ricciardi, President of the European Public Health Association, and Professor Chiara Simonelli, President the European Federation of Sexology.