Sanidad will promote the end of alcohol on the bar menu

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Spain, with 119,853 deaths in 2020, according to the National Statistics Institute. In addition, it is one of the main causes of hospital admission. The Ministry of Health will present new measures to address this problem.

The answer to this health and social challenge will be, according to the draft, a strategy that eliminates alcoholic beverages from the menus in bars. Specifically, it calls for “collaboration with establishments to promote the Mediterranean diet, not including alcohol”.

In addition, they insist on forcing the restoration to offer tap water to customers on menus. They also call for greater physical activity in schools, partly by increasing the intensity of physical activity in PE classes.

Another point they address is that of improving the regulation of advertising of unhealthy foods and alcoholic beverages. They also comment on the need to expand smoke-free spaces to curb smoking.

The Ministry of Health could present the draft today in the plenary of the Interterritorial Council – where all the Autonomous Communities are represented- and will try to include it in the Cardiovascular Health Strategy of the National Health System (ESCAV).

The main objective is to “improve the level of cardiovascular health of the population through a comprehensive approach that facilitates the adoption of healthy and sustainable lifestyles and environments”.

The draft includes the “necessary promotion of interventions that reduce the incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular disease in our country» and the improvement of the quality of life and well-being of patients and their families”.

However, before seeing the light of day, she has already received some criticism from the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC), which, although she acknowledges being very satisfied by the participation in the document of a large number of cardiologists, is skeptical with the application of these measures.