HLG DEC 2011 Update on Developments in Cyprus Eliza Markidou MSc, RD el Clinical Dietitian A Coordinator of Healthy Lifestyle program Ministry Of Health
Non Communicable Diseases 2008 HEALTH PROBLEMS Neoplasm's 411 Deaths per year CHD 2179 Deaths per year Hypercholesteremia >200mg 54.9% Obesity BMI >30 24% men and 18.4% women Overweight 25>BMI>30 44.2% men and 28.8% women Children Obesity 7.7% obese 29.9%overweight Hypertension sys>140/dia>90 22.6%
BASIC DIET HABITS For CHLILDREN (WHO, CDC, HCH CY ) Only 1 out of 5 children ages 6-18 years old take breakfast regularly Only 1 out of 5 children ages 6-18 years old eat enough daily amounts of fruit and vegetables 84% of children eat too much fat 51% eat only at least one fruit per day regularly 29% eat at least one vegetable per day
Healthy Children Program results 8950 children ages 11-12 years CHOLESTEROL LEVELS 55% have more than 170mg/dl 18% have more than 200mg/dl ANTROPOMETRY Overweight 44%males 33%females Underweight 7% 16%
Healthy Children Program Dietary Intake Daily Intake vs Recommented intake Fat 39% 30% Saturated fat 16% 10% CHO 48% 55-60% Protein 12% 15% Vitamin A, C, Fibers low intake Very low intake fruits and vegetables 87% of children have fat intake more than the recommended 30%
Healthy Children Program Based on Tricept 31% females overweight 45 % males overweight Exercise 80% classified as inactive based on physical activity measurements
Results 62,3% use olive oil for cooking 57,2 % consume only the salt used for cooking 33,8% consume salt after cooking 4% do not use salt at all 68,3% read food ingredients labels Major interest in food additives, fat content, calories, calcium, trans fat contents
National Guidelines for Nutrition For Adults and for Children Eat Daily a variety of food Maintain your body weight stable after the age of 18 Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables -5 A Day Eat small amount of salt Eat small amount of sugar- Try to substitute the sweets with fruits Reduce your daily intake of fat
Tips for a Healthy Diet Try to eat less meat and more fish and pulses Follow the Mediterranean Diet Exercise Daily Drink plenty of water
Nutrition Problems Lack of breakfast ( no time, should be the main meal of the day ) Fast foods( social, entertainment, convenience, 96% of the children recognize the fast food signs) Soft Drinks( Cola type)(12 spoons of sugar, milk substitutes, osteoporosis) Convenience food, snacking high fat, high sugar, 15% meals in the car)
MINISTRY OF HEALTH PREVENTIVE PROGRAMS IN NUTRITION Promotion of Mediterranean Diet in Schools- Mediterranean Lunch Healthy Breakfast at schools 5 Fruits A day at school-book and theater Educating women from the rural areas Mediterranean Festivals in villages and city centers Kinder garden program eating right Healthy Week eg exercise for all, water Hands Up exercise combined with eating fruits and vegetables
Latest Development Printing and Distributing national Guidelines for teenagers Activities involving teenagers (1) Discussions and presentations with the participation of scientists and groups of teenagers with the coordination of Ministry of Health (2) Development of a small advertisement film by a group of scientists and teenagers addressing nutritional and exercise issues for teenagers Initiate the process of writing the National guidelines for aging population based on the reasoning of Healthy aging
Latest Developments Involvement with local authorities Municipalities Campaign I go everywhere with my bicycle Bike rentals free for the first hour and then minimum charge. Can move in the whole city Program for exercise and weight control in the municipality employees in Strovolos area during office hours provision for exercise and weight monitor- Pilot program to be followed by other municipalities upon success
Latest Developments Salt Initiatives printing and distributing salt booklet with information and educating people Committee for salt reduction with the involvement of industry Industry producing products with less salt ie Halloumi low salt, ham and lountza with 10% less salt National Guard Food Tenders have been modified requesting low salt products ie ketchup, mustard, cheese, putting pressure to industry National guard has 20000 soldiers age 18-20 y.o. so it is a way to educate people and put pressure to the industry to produce food with less salt
Mediterranean Diet Back to our tradition Target group- children ages 11-12 Years old and their parents To teach the children the principles of the Mediterranean Diet and its health benefits To give the chance to the children to taste the glory of the Mediterranean Cuisine To remind to the parents the Mediterranean Diet and the traditional food
Mediterranean Diet Back to our tradition Initial visit to the school by a nutritionist, and give a lecture about the Med Diet Decide about the menu Children research the subject with their teachers Invite the parents to join the children to a Mediterranean Food festival
Mediterranean Diet-Back to the tradition Children cook the lunch Before the lunch children present to their parents poems, songs, speeches that explain the principles of the Med diet and its health benefits Children and parents are invited to walk in the school yard for 10 minutes ( exercise) Everybody enjoys together Mediterranean Food and wine during a festivity with songs Presents - Recipes
Mediterranean Diet Back to our tradition Very successful program Big Demand from all the school for this program Children gets really enthusiastic We hope we can preserve our traditional cuisine and improve the health of the future generation
HANDS UP A new program that has been applied by the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the Anticancer Society and the Cyprus Athletic cooperation (KOA) 5 minutes speech by nutritionist Exercise Dancing with a popular singer Hatdjiyiannis Distribution of fruits and vegetables
This paper was produced for a meeting organized by Health & Consumers DG and represents the views of its author on the subject. These views have not been adopted or in any way approved by the Commission and should not be relied upon as a statement of the Commission's or Health & Consumers DG's views. The European Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper, nor does it accept responsibility for any use made thereof.