The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the University of Western Attica (PADA), has developed a National Program for the Prevention and Control of Adult Obesity. The program includes primary, secondary and tertiary preventive measures 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 obesity. chronic diseases and polymorbidity.

Where does it go – What does it include

The program is designed for adults who are overweight or obese and allows people to: free clinical assessment so that they know if they have any risk factors associated with the appearance of obesity, and deal with them in time, b) receive free nutrition services to improve eating habits and physical condition, c) to obtain free specialized combined treatment (nutrition counseling, health behavior change counseling and pharmacotherapy) in cases of severe obesity coexisting with serious chronic diseases.

The program is expected to start in June this year and has been included in the action plan of the Spyros Doxiadis program, which is included in the Public Investment Program (PIP) of the Ministry of Health and comes from EU resources Greece Recovery and Resilience Fund 2.0 funded 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.

Certified training program

In addition, the action includes a special, certified training program lasting 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 to provide more effective health behavior change services and the ability to work with patients in a new context while working as consultants and empowering people to make the right choice the easy choice. At the same time, they will collaborate with nutritionists and monitor the patient’s progress on a long-term basis.

It is important to note that the program aims to increase health literacy on a specific issue, as well as to improve the health of the adult population of our country.

In the context of a comprehensive approach to obesity for its early diagnosis and treatment, the program also includes broader awareness and information initiatives to increase the level of education curricula at every level, for every branch of the health professions, so that our country can in the near future to go to keep up with the needs of the modern era, which dictate the transition to prevention and strengthening the knowledge and skills of medical workers to meet the needs of the population in this area.

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, through a personal doctor, a program of access to nutritionists and, if necessary, medicines will be implemented. Prevention saves, and our goal is to preserve the health of citizens.”