Deutsche Allianz Nichtübertragbare Krankheiten (DANK)

The Deutsche Allianz Nichtübertragbare Krankheiten (DANK) is an association of 22 scientific and medical professional societies, associations, and research institutions, founded in 2010 to advocate for sustainable and nationwide primary prevention in Germany. DANK is supported by the voluntary commitment of its members and the contributions of its member organizations and does not accept financial resources from the food, tobacco, or pharmaceutical industries[2][5].

The main mission of DANK is to stop the "tsunami of chronic diseases" and promote effective population-wide prevention policies. Non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular and kidney diseases, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases, are the most common cause of lost quality of life and premature death worldwide. DANK is committed to preventing these diseases through appropriate preventive measures and sustainably protecting and improving the health of the population[2][3].

DANK advocates and supports various measures to contain the spread of non-communicable diseases:

• Daily Exercise: At least one hour of physical activity (sports) in daycare centers and schools.
• Nutrition Policy: Taxing unhealthy foods and relieving healthy foods (sugar/fat tax).
• Quality Standards: Mandatory quality standards for catering in daycare centers and schools.
• Advertising Ban: Ban on food advertising aimed at children[1][2][3].

DANK pursues four strategic goals within the framework of relationship prevention:

• Reduction of Tobacco Consumption
• Reduction of Harmful Alcohol Consumption
• Promotion of Healthy Nutrition
• Increase of Physical Activity and Sports in Daycare and School

These goals are part of a comprehensive approach to reduce risk factors for non-communicable diseases and improve the health of the population[3].

DANK is also engaged at the international level, particularly within the framework of the EU initiative "Joint Action Prevent NCD," to develop cross-border strategies to combat non-communicable diseases. Together with the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and other partners, DANK is working on implementing prevention strategies and legal regulations to sustainably protect and improve the health of citizens[5].

DANK is actively involved in various current debates and initiatives, such as:

• Children's Beverages and Sugar Tax: DANK advocates for a reduction in sugar content in beverages and for a manufacturer levy on sweetened drinks to reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods among children.
• Advertising Restrictions: DANK calls for comprehensive advertising restrictions for unhealthy foods aimed at children and adolescents to protect children's health[5].

Through these and other initiatives, DANK continuously works to reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and improve the health of society in the long term.

• 1 - https://www.ddg.info/politik/deutsche-allianz-nichtuebertragbare-krankheiten-dank
• 2 - https://www.dank-allianz.de/ueber-uns.html
• 3 - https://www.dank-allianz.de
• 4 - https://www.allianz.de
• 5 - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Allianz_Nicht%C3%BCbertragbare_Krankheiten