10 November 2025
Jacardi

The PREACT (Prophylactic Education & Actions for Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes) project is an initiative that aims to prevent and reduce cardiometabolic risk, focusing primarily on cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes. These conditions are identified as leading causes of illness and death across Europe.

PREACT responds to this challenge with a strong focus on prevention over treatment. The core mission is achieved through early intervention, education, and behavior change. The project employs a collaborative, evidence-based, and community-driven approach to promote long-term health and well-being.

“PREACT is more than a project, it’s a mission to turn health awareness into daily action.” – said Pr. Evgenia Vlachou, a diabetes researcher. It launched in November 2023 and is scheduled to run through October 2026, spanning a total of 36 months.

A consortium was formed at inception, comprising diverse entities,bringing together academic institutions, healthcare professionals, public authorities, and civil society from across the EU. The project held its Kick-off Meeting in Athens in January 2024, which included 18 representatives from all partner organizations to align the vision, define roles, and finalize the strategic framework. The presence of the European Commission’s project officer during this meeting ensured compliance with EU standards.

Activities take place through pilot projects in schools, health institutions, and community settings across partner countries, reaching a diverse audience of community members, students, and institutional staff.

PREACT’s educational strategy includes several key development and training activities:

  • The project held a joint staff training event in Komotini in June 2024.
  • The event aimed to build a shared pedagogical foundation among trainers and co-develop culturally and linguistically tailored educational content.
  • The educational toolkit and intervention materials were finalized and refined between July and October 2024, resulting in a comprehensive set of learner and facilitator resources.

Key milestones and phases of the project include:

  1. Kick-off Meeting held in Athens in January 2024.
  2. A comprehensive needs analysis undertaken from February to May 2024, focusing on modifiable risk factors like smoking, diet, physical inactivity, and caffeine consumption, particularly in the Greek and broader European context.
  3. The joint staff training event held in Komotini in June 2024.
  4. Launching  ten pilot actions starting in November 2024 and running through June 2025 in schools, health institutions, and community settings to test the materials’ real-world applicability and impact.

The needs analysis findings directly informed the design of PREACT’s educational materials. The project has finalized an educational toolkit and intervention materials.

In its first 18 months, PREACT successfully established a strong collaborative foundation and completed the initial research and preparation phases.

The success is attributed to the strong collaboration and real-world insights shared by diverse partners, including researchers, health professionals, and community educators.

  • Prof. K. Papadimitriou, a trainer, commented that “small lifestyle changes can make a big difference. PREACT equips us to inspire those changes in practical, culturally relevant ways”.
  • Olga R. from NGO OPORA noted that the Komotini training helped the team “build tools shaped by the people they’re meant to serve”.

The pilot actions, running from November 2024 to June 2025, were designed to test the real-world applicability and impact of the PREACT materials.

PREACT encourages engagement from various stakeholders, including health professionals, educators, policymakers, or anyone passionate about building healthier communities, inviting all to contribute to the mission.

For more information, visit the official project website.