Although most Greeks try to include fruits in their daily diet and include walking in their daily routine, it seems that this is not enough to get rid of extra pounds.

According to the Hellenic Statistical Office 2022 survey on the state of health and the use of health services by citizens, in general 63% of men in the country are overweight or obese. Men are more overweight than women, most of them have a body mass index (BMI) in the range of 25 to 29.

But aside from the weight gain, the habit of smoking, although lessened compared to the past, is still “well maintained.” One in four is a regular smoker, and together with occasional smokers this percentage approaches 30%. The distribution of smokers, however, has clear age criteria: in the 25-34 age group, more than one in three is considered a heavy smoker, while at older ages, the number of smokers gradually decreases as they logically listen to their doctors.

Greeks don’t train

Talking to the “K”, Mr. Associate Professor, Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Thessaly, Ioannis Morres, points out that one of the main reasons why a significant percentage of the Greek population is overweight is due to a sedentary lifestyle.

As he points out the vast majority of Greeks lead a settled way of life, accompanied by insufficient physical activity. “The numbers are relentless. According to a recent Eurobarometer report (May 2022), 68% of Greeks do not play sports he also does not play any sport,” the professor notes, emphasizing that it is necessary to adopt strategies with a scientific note.

With his hand, Dimitris Karagiannis, Director of the Clinical Nutrition Department of Evangelismos Hospital, focuses on increased rates of overweight in childhood and adolescence in Greek children. “It is widely known in the scientific community that an overweight child/adolescent has a high chance of remaining overweight into adulthood due to an unhealthy diet,” says Mr. Karagiannis.

But in addition to the above, it seems that The pandemic has played a pivotal role in consumer eating habits. “Incarceration in recent years due to the pandemic has contributed to weight gain due to poor dietary choices, an increase in the amount of food consumed in fast food restaurants and a decrease in activity levels, even small activities that we perform in daily life. “, says Mr. Karagiannis.

They showed the second highest consumption of chocolate and chips in Europe during the pandemic.

According to a European study on the impact of the pandemic on consumer eating habits, Greek consumers have shown impressive results compared to other European citizens. As Mr Morres explains, during the pandemic, Greeks were the second-largest consumer of chocolate and chips in Europe. On the other hand, there was a beneficial reduction in alcohol consumption as well as an increase in time spent preparing meals and eating in company.

The myth of “an apple a day…”

At the same time, experts believe that eating at least one fruit a day, as well as frequent walks, is not enough to change the growth of overweight in Greece.

“The phrase “an apple a day keeps you from going to the doctor” is, of course, a myth,” emphasizes Mr. Karagiannis.

In fact, eating about 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day (1 serving = 1 medium fruit or 1 cup of raw vegetables) is beneficial due to their nutritional properties and low calorie content, but this does not solve the problem. problem.

It’s the same with walking. “A daily walk for about 30-45 minutes is good for health, but does little to regulate body weight. It needs organized and regular activity to regulate it.”

What is the reason for the increase in chronic diseases?

Another worrying element that emerges from the study is the increase in the number of patients with chronic health problems. In particular, 24.9% of citizens have certain chronic health problems, while the percentage shows an increase compared to 2018, which amounted to 23.4%.

This steady increase over the past four years appears to be related to an aging population.Professor of Pathology-Rheumatology of the Faculty of Medicine of the EKPA and President of KESY Dimitris Buba. He points out that another important factor could be the rise in obesity and the decline in physical activity among the Greek population.

“We know how obesity is closely associated with hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus, as well as with malignant neoplasms“, he points out, adding that establishing more actions will contribute to a reduction in chronic diseases in the medium term.

60% have to pay for medical services

However, in addition to the grave state of health of citizens, access to public health facilities also appears to be difficult.

In fact, due to high financial costs, a significant percentage did not satisfy their medical need in 2022, that is, they did not receive any medical examination or treatment, while they needed it.

In particular, according to the study, one in four could not meet their medical needswhile nearly 1 in 3 failed to meet their dental needs.

Difficulty accessing public health facilities is an age-old weakness of Greek reality, he tells K. Professor of Health Policy and Dean of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the University of the Peloponnese Kyriakos Souliotis.

The biggest problems are found in access in healthcare structures and waiting time to a meeting. “Because of the long waiting time for an appointment with a doctor in a public hospital, most citizens turn to doctors hired by the foundation. However, even there they usually wait for a long time, as a result of which they resort to the help of a private person, ”says Mr. Souliotis.

As for the inability to find a drug, the problem here is, on the one hand, the shortage that has existed on the market in recent years, on the other hand, the need to buy a specific brand, and not an alternative or generic. Anyway, for Mr Souliotis, the biggest problem remains the fact that Greek citizens end up having to pay have access to medical care.

“There is one in Greece 30-35% willing to pay amount for the use of medical services. However, in the end those who are forced to pay (part or the entire amount of the visit) reach 60%“, says Mr Souliotis, pointing out that the percentage is very high.

“Strengthening public funding for health care, further strengthening primary health care, and a thorough assessment of the system to identify and analyze gaps are the biggest obstacles that the state must intervene in so that no one feels “cut off”. from the NHS,” concludes Mr Souliotis.