Islands top rankings of overweight Greek children

eKathimerini — Schoolchildren living on the Greek islands are the most overweight in the country, according to a survey conducted by the state-sponsored EYZHN program.

Children from the islands are also less likely to consume a Mediterranean diet and have a more sedentary lifestyle compared to other regions in the country.

More specifically, 35 percent of kids in the southern Aegean, 34 percent in northern Aegean and 33 percent in the Ionian islands are overweight.

The lowest rates of overweight children are found in Epirus and Thessaly, with 27 and 28 percent respectively.

The research sampled 350,000 students from 4,000 schools around the country during the 2014-15 school year and highlights a growing health concern as 22 percent of schoolchildren were found to be overweight while 8 percent were obese.