A typical day for a Greek child might start with a sugary cereal, continue with packaged cookies for a mid-morning snack, and end with takeout pizza, burgers, or hot dogs for dinner—because, let’s face it, saying no to the kid isn’t easy. The child is only nine years old, yet 40% of their daily calories come from ultra-processed foods.

These aren’t just regular processed foods. By definition, ultra-processed foods are essentially products of industrial food engineering rather than nature. They contain five or more industrial ingredients such as added sugars, saturated fats, oils, salt, antioxidants, stabilizers, and preservatives.

A Groundbreaking Study in Greece

A new, first-of-its-kind study in Greece paints a stark picture of Greek children’s diets. It investigated how much of kids’ total daily caloric intake comes from ultra-processed foods. The data was drawn from the Hellenic National Nutrition and Health Survey, the largest and most comprehensive ongoing dietary study of the Greek population.

Published in the journal Nutrition Bulletin, the study was conducted by researchers from the University of Nicosia and the Agricultural University of Athens, led by Professor Antonis Zampelas—Professor of Human Nutrition, Honorary Professor at UCL Medical School, and current President of the Management Board of the Hellenic Food Authority.

The (Very Long) List of Offenders

You might be wondering just how many of the foods we eat daily fall into this ultra-processed category. The answer? A lot. And many of them are favorites among children.

  • Sugary soft drinks
  • Packaged sweet and savory snacks
  • Ice cream, chocolate, candy
  • Pre-packaged breads, cookies, cakes
  • Breakfast cereals with added sugars
  • Energy bars and energy drinks
  • Fruit yogurt desserts
  • Frozen ready meals (like pies, pizzas, microwave pasta dishes)
  • Chicken nuggets, fish sticks, hot dogs, pre-made burgers

The list is endless.

What Greek Children Actually Eat

According to the study, which involved 443 children with an average age of 9 years, ultra-processed foods accounted for a whopping 39.8% of their total daily calorie intake.

The biggest contributors?

  • Ready-to-eat meals (like pizza, burgers, fries, etc.): 36.2%
  • Sugary cereals: 21.4%
  • Snacks (like chips or crackers): 15.4%
  • Sweets and baked goods: 12.8%

Professor Zampelas notes that among obese children, ready-made meals alone contributed to about 41% of their daily caloric intake. Other heavy calorie sources included sugary cereals (20.5%), snack bars, cookies, waffles, and crepes (15.4%), and pastries, candy, and other sweets (12.8%).

Obesity Champions of Europe

It’s no surprise then that Greece ranks at the top of the charts for childhood obesity in Europe:

  • 13.6% of children under 5 are overweight or obese
  • 43% of children aged 5–7
  • 37.5% of kids and teens aged 2–14

Interestingly, the study found that sugary drinks—often seen as a top obesity culprit—weren’t a major contributor to calorie intake among Greek children, even among those who are overweight. Zampelas explains this may be due to generally low consumption levels in Greece. “In our previous GRECO study with 5th and 6th graders, we found that kids in Greece drank only about half a liter of soda per week, compared to American kids who consume that amount per day.”

Warning Signs for the Future

While Greece hasn’t yet hit U.S. levels—where over 60% of children’s daily calories come from ultra-processed foods, a threshold associated with severe health issues—the current numbers are still worrying.

Professor Zampelas stresses: “Even children with normal weight who consume high amounts of ultra-processed food are setting themselves up for various diseases down the road. We urgently need to reverse this trend to protect our children’s health.”

His team’s research provides food for thought—and a wake-up call for action.