by Stefan Schreck, Head of Health Information Unit, European Commission, DG Health and Consumers

Health, like happiness, can be difficult to measure.  But fortunately, we can measure some aspects about public health and our health systems, with a very useful tool known as Health at a Glance.

Health at a Glance is a joint report by the Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development that provides comparative data on health and health systems in 35 European countries.

The timing for this month's publication of the third edition of the report, Health at a Glance: Europe 2014, is ideal. Coinciding with the start of a new Commission mandate, it provides a factual basis from which to make policy decisions and quickly pinpoints our strengths and weaknesses.

For example, life expectancy has increased by 5.1 years in the EU since 1990, so we're doing something right. But new data also shows our failings: for instance, one in six adults is now obese, compared to one in eight a decade ago.

In addition to highlighting key trends like longevity and obesity and health determinants which influence them, the report examines health spending and inequalities, health care resources, quality of care and access to care.

The chapter on health expenditure is particularly telling.  Although we are emerging from the economic crisis, health budgets are still being squeezed in many countries, which translates into salary, spending and workforce cuts. Yet despite this, the number of doctors and nurses per capita has increased in nearly all EU countries.

Health at a Glance takes the guess-work out of assessing public health and health system performance by providing real numbers on a selection of indicators mainly based on the European Core Health Indicators developed by the Commission and EU Member States.

But like with a doctor's report at the end of a check-up, it's not enough to know what your health problems are.  You have to follow-up and take action to solve them.