The multidisciplinary nature of public health challenges

<jats:p>This book presents the main challenges of public health policy in Europe nowadays. A variety of research that has been conducted over the past few decades confirms lifestyle factors, like smoking, alcohol consumption, low physical activity, diet, overweight and obesity as a key health risk factors in contemporary highly developed societies. Health literacy, defined and described in the second chapter, is one of the conditions for developing healthy habits and attitudes. The concept of health literacy has evolved and consequently expanded beyond its medical origins. Now it is present in the fields of public health, health promotion and health education.</jats:p>