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HEALTH AND AVAILABILITY OF HEALTHY FOOD IN THE CONTEXT OF RETAIL MANAGEMENT

Vanda Lieskovska, Silvia Megyesiova, Maria Grullingova

Abstract

The issue of health, demographic changes and quality of life as well as food security has become a part of the current challenge of the new EU program for research and innovation, Horizont 2020. The paper follows up the findings of the first European survey on health EHIS 2009, that was elaborated on the basis of a harmonized methodology developed by Eurostat in Slovakia. It seeks to find a link between demography, health, access to healthy food and retail management, which should respond more flexibly to the needs of not only consumers but also companies seeking to increase the quality of life. There are some frontier sciences used presenting the connection between demographics and medical statistics at the level of prevalence of morbidity but also in economics focused on retail management activities facilitating the availability of healthy foods. It is a socially responsible behavior of individuals, companies but also the society itself. There are presented the effects of keeping healthy eating and overall lifestyle to reduce cardiovascular risk by up to 20-30%. The results have so far been confirmed only in the so-called statin studies, when was reached a huge decrease of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality by pharmacotherapy. While in terms of cost-effectiveness when changing eating it is the most efficient method of treatment, in addition, the most natural. Data of the British National Health Service (NHS) elucidate the comparison of cost-effectiveness (cost per QALY) with respect to quality of life. Retail management decisions significantly participate in the availability of healthy food in terms of covering potential demand where considerable problems persist. The paper seeks to find solutions to improve the existing situation.

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