The World Health Organization (WHO) has attributed 2.7 million annual deaths in Europe to four major industries: tobacco, ultra-processed foods (UPFs), fossil fuels, and alcohol. These industries, according to WHO, are obstructing public policies that could negatively impact their profits.

Hans Kluge, the director of the WHO Europe region, which includes 53 countries, including those in Central Asia, stated, "These four industries kill at least 7,000 people in our region every day." The WHO's report highlights how the consolidation of these sectors into a few powerful multinationals has given them substantial influence over political and legal environments. This influence is used to block regulations that serve the public interest but could reduce their profit margins.

The WHO accused these industries of various harmful tactics, including targeting vulnerable populations through strategic marketing, misleading consumers, and making false claims about the benefits of their products or their environmental practices. The report emphasized that such tactics threaten public health advancements made over the past century and hinder countries from achieving their health objectives.

The WHO underscored that industry lobbying is a significant barrier in combating non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. It noted that nearly 60% of adults and a third of children in Europe are overweight or obese, based on the latest data. Furthermore, statistics from 2017 indicated that one in five deaths from cardiovascular disease and cancer in Europe could be attributed to unhealthy eating habits.

In response to these findings, the WHO urged countries to implement stricter regulations on the marketing of unhealthy products, monopolistic practices, and lobbying efforts. "People must take precedence before profit, always," Dr. Kluge asserted.

The WHO's call to action aims to strengthen public health policies and curb the detrimental impact of these powerful industries on health outcomes across the European region.