Healthy eating is encouraged to combat childhood obesity

Education Ministers Prodromos Prodromou and Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas joined other officials in stressing the importance of physical exercise and healthy diet in tackling rising obesity infant.

 

The health minister said childhood obesity is at an alarming level. According to the COSI (Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative) study by WHO (World Health Organization) in 2020 in Cyprus about 43.6% of children aged 6-9 years were overweight and 14% were obese.

 

For the ministers, the prevention of childhood obesity must place particular emphasis on appropriate nutrition and physical exercise. Among the initiatives decided: campaigns to promote good nutrition, and a new game, available on an application, where children are encouraged to eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day.

 

In terms of consumption, according to the Eurostat study on fruit and vegetable consumption in 2019, only 12% of the EU population consumed the recommended 5 or more servings per day but in Cyprus it is only 7.9% of the population that eats the recommended 5 or more servings per day. Cyprus is far in this European ranking where the highest daily consumption of 5 portions or more was observed in Ireland (33% of the population), the Netherlands (30%), Denmark (23%) and France (20%).