National Anti-Obesity Program Premiere: Launching in June

The National Program for the Prevention and Control of Adult Obesity, developed by the Ministry of Health and the University of Western Attica (PADA), has become a reality.

The program includes primary, secondary and tertiary prevention activities aimed, on the one hand, at reducing the risk factors responsible for obesity and, on the other hand, at combating the consequences of overweight and obesity, which often lead to chronic diseases. As stated in the application, the program is designed for adults who are overweight or obese and allows:

1. undergo a free clinical examination to find out if you have any risk factors associated with the appearance of obesity and deal with them in a timely manner,
2. receive free services from nutritionists to improve eating habits and physical condition,
3. receive free specialized combined treatment (nutrition advice, dietary change and pharmacotherapy) in cases of severe obesity in combination with chronic diseases.

Expected that the program will start in June this year and will be under the control of the Ministry of Health. Funding will be partly provided by the European Union (NextGenerationEU).

In our country, according to the latest data, only 30.3% of the general population are of normal body weight, 37.6% are overweight and 32.1% are obese, while 3 out of 4 families have at least one parent overweight or obese.

In addition, the promotion includes a special certified training program of 60 hours, which will be implemented by the University of Western Attica. The program is addressed to all healthcare professionals (with a special focus on PHY) and aims to equip them with the knowledge, skills and tools so they can more effectively help people fight obesity. At the same time, specialists will collaborate with nutritionists to monitor the patient’s progress on a long-term basis.

It is important to note that the program aims to increase medical literacy regarding this issue and to improve the health of the adult population of our country. Health Minister Thanos Plevris said: “In the context of primary prevention, we will intensify action to combat obesity. Weight monitoring, exercise and proper nutrition are allies in improving public health outcomes. In this direction, a program of access to nutritionists and, if necessary, medicines through a personal doctor will be implemented. Prevention saves, and our goal is to preserve the health of citizens.”

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