Cabinet approves national strategy to boost health eating

The number of overweight and obese children in Cyprus is rising, Health Minister Michalis Damianos said on Wednesday as he announced the cabinet’s approval of a new national action plan to improve quality of life.

Childhood obesity rates in Cyprus exceed those in many other European countries, the minister said, attributing this trend to changes in modern lifestyle, evolving family structures, and subsequent eating habits, describing them as “one of the most serious challenges to public health”.

“There are several and important risk factors responsible for premature deaths, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and others, which are linked to diet and the level of physical activity/exercise,” Damianos explained.

To address this, the health ministry has developed a national strategy aligned with World Health Organisation guidelines on healthy diet and physical activity.

The strategy includes tracking global and European action plans, compiling demographic and health data to assess the local situation, raising public awareness on healthy eating and exercise, and establishing a national committee to advise the minister and prepare an action plan specifically for promotion.