CAMHI supports the collective effort to prevent childhood obesity

Copy of Copy of Copy of pediatricians training web

We participated in the conference co-organized by Newsbomb.gr and the National Action Against Childhood Obesity (Ministry of Health & UNICEF, Greece 2.0 – NextGenerationEU).

Childhood obesity is one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time, significantly affecting the daily lives of thousands of families in Greece. Aiming to highlight the causes, consequences, and necessary solutions, the Childhood Obesity Conference took place on Thursday, 4 December 2025, co-organized by Newsbomb.gr and the National Action Against Childhood Obesity (Ministry of Health & UNICEF, Greece 2.0 – NextGenerationEU). The event was hosted in the Iphigenia Hall of the Hellenic Cosmos Cultural Center and brought together distinguished figures from the fields of health, government, and public institutions.

The Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative (CAMHI) actively contributed to the thematic discussion on culture change through education, prevention, and awareness-raising, specifically on the panel “Greece Is Changing Culture: Education, Prevention, Awareness.” CAMHI was represented by two of its members: Kalliopi Triantafyllou, Clinical Psychologist, PhD, and Theano Touma, Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, Scientific Advisor at the Child Mind Institute.

The discussion, moderated by journalist Dionysia Prokopi, highlighted the multifactorial nature of obesity and its direct links to the mental health of children and adolescents. CAMHI’s representatives addressed key questions, shedding light on the psychological, social, and behavioral dimensions of the issue.

Key questions explored during the panel

During the panel, the speakers addressed:

  • The relationship between obesity and mental health, and how the two factors interact
  • The role of eating disorders in the development and maintenance of obesity
  • CAMHI’s contribution to strengthening the prevention and early identification of psychosocial factors that influence children’s eating habits and behavior
  • The psychosocial risk factors associated with obesity and what parents need to know
  • The stigma and bullying, often related to children’s weight and body changes, and ways to address this phenomenon
  • The role of school psychologists and social workers, particularly in identifying behaviors that may signal emerging eating disorders and providing appropriate intervention

Snapshot from the panel featuring our members: Theano Touma, Child Psychiatrist (first from the right), and Kalliopi Triantafyllou, Psychologist (second from the right).
Snapshot from the panel featuring our members: Theano Touma, Child Psychiatrist (first from the right), and Kalliopi Triantafyllou, Psychologist (second from the right).


Supporting a Collective Effort

Through its participation, CAMHI underscored that children’s mental and physical health are deeply interconnected and require a unified strategy that combines awareness, education, and practical support for families, schools, and health professionals. Preventing childhood obesity is not only about nutrition and physical activity—it also involves emotional safety, self-image, and children’s sense of social acceptance.

Theano Touma highlighted that CAMHI provides training programs for health, mental health, and education professionals, strengthening their ability to identify early behaviors that may indicate a mental health condition, including eating disorders and the emotional difficulties often associated with obesity. At the same time, CAMHI responds to the needs and concerns of parents by offering free evidence-based informational materials, guides, and wellbeing resources.These materials help parents support their children appropriately while fostering a healthier relationship with food, sleep, and physical activity.

Kalliopi Triantafyllou presented data on childhood and adolescent obesity, emphasizing its links to mental health challenges: “Studies show increased likelihood of depression, low self-esteem, and social difficulties. In CAMHI’s therapeutic protocol for adolescent depression, there is a dedicated body-care session. On the other hand, bullying due to a child’s weight is common and is associated with unhealthy weight-management practices and lower quality of life. CAMHI implements a training program for educators on mental health and managing difficult situations in the school environment, including bullying incidents. This training is delivered online and is open to teachers across the country.”

The conference provided a valuable platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange, bringing together government and institutional representatives—including Minister of Health Adonis Georgiadis and Deputy Minister of Health Irini Agapidaki—and underscoring the need for a coordinated, multi-level action plan.

CAMHI will continue to contribute through evidence-based approaches and collaborative initiatives, supporting every effort that promotes the health and mental well-being of children and adolescents.

The Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative’s programs are designed and implemented by a nationwide network of public-sector mental health organizations and professionals, in collaboration with the Child Mind Institute (New York) and with the support of the Ministry of Health.

The Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative is exclusively supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) as part of SNF's Global Health Initiative.