Lausanne,October 2, 2015 – Nestlé Skin Health, global leader focused on enhancing the quality of life by delivering science-based solutions for the health of the skin, is this week celebrating Active Aging Week. Throughout the week, Nestlé Skin Health has led a campaign focused on awareness and educational in which it provided tools and promoted activities that help older adults engage in healthier and more active lifestyles across their lengthening life course.  Active Aging Week, an annual initiative created and led by the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), is focusing on six major themes in which individuals can take action and provides information and easy-to-follow guides. 

Friday’s theme is “Get Skin Health Smart,” and Nestlé Skin Health is showcasing new factsheets, videos, how-to guides, educational tools and quizzes to inform ActiveAging Week participants about good practices for recognizing and preventing skin conditions and diseases that increase with age such as skin cancer, dry skin associated with chronic diseases, side-effects of oncologic drugs and even falls.  The goal is to help individual stake control of their skin health at any age. 

“At Nestlé Skin Health, we are committed to elevating skin health on the global public health agenda,” said Humberto C. Antunes, CEO of Nestlé Skin Health. “Through our partnership with ICAA during Active Aging Week, we can build awareness and foster good habits for individuals as they age. This is increasingly imperative for our skin, as it is our largest organ and shield against outside harm.”

In fact,skin health was highlighted this week in the World Health Organization's 2015 World Report on Ageing and Health. The report addresses the public health imperative for increasing global longevity and aims to shift the public health agenda from one focused solely on addressing acute disease to the goal of functional ability.  According to the WHO report:

“Skin suffers progressive decrements with age that result from damage caused by physiological mechanisms, genetic predisposition and external insults…The potential impacts of these changes are not just physical. Many skin condition scan affect individuals’ emotional health or…may also cause withdrawal from social activity, thus preventing full participation in communities and workplaces.”

Sustaining healthy skin and addressing skin health challenges as individuals age are critical to the WHO strategy.  Nestlé Skin Health’s approach to a life course of healthy skin is aligned with the WHO’s call to action on the role of public health in national economic growth and personal healthy aging goals.

“Humans are living longer than ever before, and all of us without exception will have deteriorating skin,” said Michael W. Hodin, CEO of the Global Coalition on Aging, a cross-sector business consortium dedicated to promoting good public policies and business practices to ensure aging becomes an opportunity, rather than a burden.  “Today’s aging phenomenon requires us to change conventional thinking about health, and healthy skin is a powerful way to help individuals to stay active, engaged and productive for as long as possible.”

Since its launch in 2003, Active Aging Week has aimed to empower seniors to engage in exercise, wellness activities and preventive habits that lead to healthy aging.

“Older people need better access to education on a variety of health issues, and ICAA works to engage with communities to help them facilitate life changes that will keep individuals healthy for longer,” said Colin Milner, CEO of ICAA. “We are excited to have Nestlé Skin Health involved in the 2015 Active Aging Week to shine a light on the link between healthy skin and overall well being. Our participants will benefit from Nestlé Skin Health’s innovative and interactive tools designed specifically with them in mind.”

Members of ICAA and the general public can access thesetools for “getting skin health smart” on the campaign’s website, http://www.activeagingweek.com.  ActiveAging Week runs from September 27 to October 3. Events will take place in meeting locations across North America andaround the world.

About Nestlé Skin Health

Nestlé Skin Health’s mission is to enhance quality of lifeby delivering science-based solutions for the health of skin, hair and nails.As one of the category’s leading companies, Nestlé Skin Health conductsground-breaking product research to provide both the healthcare community andthe consumer with an ongoing progression of innovative technologies andproducts to protect, serve and enhance skin health. 

About the World Health Organization’s 2015 Report on Ageingand Health

The WHO Report on Ageing and Health outlines a framework foraction to foster Healthy Ageing built around the new concept of functionalability. Making these investments will have valuable social and economicreturns, both in terms of health and wellbeing of older people and in enablingtheir on-going participation in society. For more information, visit http://www.who.int/ageing/events/world-report-2015-launch/en/.

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Sébastien Cros
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