Obesity and children

Описание: Webinar Title: The role of academia in promoting healthy eating and physical activity at community level: the case of the Greek National Action against Childhood Obesity within AUTh’s multidisciplinary academic team

In this webinar, it is our honor to host two special experts:

Dr. Zoi Tsimitsiou, Associate Professor of Hygiene, Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, AUTh, Greece, Coordinator of the AUTh academic team for the National Action against Childhood Obesity

Topic: Implementation of school and community activities by the academic team of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh): Lessons learned

Dr. Despoina Papadopoulou, Professor of Linguistics, School of Philology, AUTh, Greece, Coordinator of Child Rights Center AUTh

Topic: The contribution of the Child Rights Center

Abstract:
Childhood obesity remains a major public health challenge, requiring coordinated action across education, health, and community sectors. In Greece, a National Network of Associated organizations, including academia, under the General Secretariat of Public Health was organized to promote healthy eating and physical activity at community level. Within this framework, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) was invited to form an academic team consisting of members from the School of Medicine, from the Departments of Physical Education and Sport Science and from the Child Rights Centre (CRC) of AUTh, which operates in collaboration with UNICEF.

This initiative aimed to strengthen engagement in school and community-level activities by building strategic collaborations within regions of Central and Western Macedonia. The key activities under this effort included: a comprehensive mapping of relevant stakeholders will be within AUTh’s region, establishing Regional Task Forces, and planning and implementing a series of activities to introduce nutrition and health toolboxes at schools and within communities (e.g. workshops, fairs, teacher professional development sessions, parent and guardian engagement sessions, local radio and media outreach, operation of selected schools as health hubs etc).

This webinar discusses lessons learned from the implementation of school and community activities, as well as the added value of Child Rights Centres within multidisciplinary academic teams, underscoring the importance of intersectoral collaboration, rights-based approaches, and academic leadership in advancing sustainable public health interventions for children.