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Nutrition

in Greece

94 per cent of mothers breastfed their baby on their first day of life, 51 per cent exclusively breastfed at the end of the first week, 40 per cent at the end of the first month, 25 per cent at end of the fourth month, and 0.8 per cent at the end of the sixth month. Only 25 per cent of mothers exclusively breastfeed for four months of a newborn’s life.
45 per cent of women were partially or exclusively breastfeeding at the end of the sixth month.
36.6 per cent of new mothers breastfeeding for 6 months or more (2019).
37.5 per cent of children 2 to 14 years old are obese or overweight (2019).
42 per cent of children 7 to 9 years old are obese or overweigh with Greece ranking 2^nd among 34 countries with average rate of 29 per cent (COSI Round 5 2019).
17 per cent of children 7 to 9 years old are obese with Greece ranking 3^rd among 34 countries with average rate of 12 per cent (COSI Round 5 2019).
Only 37 per cent of children 6 to 9 years old consume fresh fruits daily (27 COSI countries average is 43 per cent) less than half (49 per cent) eat breakfast every day (29 COSI countries average is 75 per cent).
10.7 per cent of households with dependent children have inability to afford a meal with meat, chicken, fish (or vegetarian equivalent) every second day (EU 8 per cent) (2022).

Gender

Childhood obesity is twice as likely to affect boys compared to girls (boys 21 per cent, girls 13 per cent). This is the 2^nd highest difference in percentage points among 34 COSI countries.

Sub-national

Overweight and obese rates among children are about two times higher among those living in the lowest-income families compared to those living in the highest-income families.

Other

The rate of poor households with dependent children unable to afford a meal with meat, chicken, fish (or vegetarian equivalent) every second day is 3 times higher compared to the total households with dependent children (30.3 vs 10.7 per cent) (2022).

Enabling Environment

Legislation, policy, resources, coordination, data

Availability of high-quality nutrition food for low-income families, particularly in public schools, remains an issue across the country.
Lack of data on national policies to reduce salt consumption and limit saturated fatty acids as well as industrially produced trans-fat.

35(e) Address malnutrition, including overweight and obesity, among children and promote healthy lifestyles and physical activity.

Develop preventive strategies to decrease obesity in children, and proactive health initiatives to treat obesity-related issues.
Develop a costed and thorough national strategy for the prevention of malnutrition and overweight for children and adolescents.
Make service delivery systems foster and promote healthy and well-balanced dietary practices and healthier foods more available, affordable and accessible.
Ensure comprehensive and quality evidence on the causes and consequences of overweight in childhood and adolescence to inform relevant policies.

Adequately staffed services, facilities, information, commodities

Insufficient support in hospitals for breastfeeding at birth.
Lack of oversight by nutritional experts regarding the quantity and quality of milk formula and its correct usage.
Insufficient intake of micro-nutrients in children and adolescents, especially in girls aged 14-18.
Weak regulatory and operational framework for nutrition and physical activity promotion at school and municipal level.

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Mobilize public health policy makers to influence food choices that improve adolescents’ dietary habits.
Reform and promote physical education at school level and free participation in activities at the municipal level.
Strengthen the capacity of health care providers to protect, promote and support breastfeeding, including through Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), and counselling on breastfeeding and complementary feeding.
Strengthen awareness and capacity of health care professionals to screen and provide counselling on nutrition, exercise and health promotion including through digital tools.
Strengthen the capacity of preschool, primary and secondary caregivers and teachers on a healthy lifestyle.
Support the inclusion of nutrition education into the curriculum of preschools and schools.
Support to the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports to ensure that the food and nutrition environment in pre-schools and schools is healthy, by revising and tailoring existing standards and the regulatory framework for food provision at school level.
Promote prevention strategies and interventions at municipal/regional level for the increase of physical activity, nutrition and health lifestyle practices.

Financial access and social behavioural drivers

Lack of data on the uptake at national level of healthy nutrition policies.
Weak data and analysis on the drivers of dietary patterns and behaviors regarding child obesity, taking into account vulnerable groups of children.

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Raise awareness on nutrition and healthy living to foster better habits and support the development of children.
Study the drivers of dietary patterns and behaviours resulting in obesity to identify the key behaviours that can be changed or improved.
Develop evidence-informed communication materials to educate, inspire and engage communities on actions to prevent child obesity and improve child feeding practices and maternal nutrition as well as increase physical activity.
Design communications approaches to promote social and behaviour change in better nutrition, complementary feeding and physical activity.
Partner with consumer associations and other community and civil society groups to promote the availability and affordability of nutritious, safe and sustainable diets for all children and women.