Health professionals for Obesity

Meletiou Thaleia is a specialized Endocrinologist-Diabetologist with a private practice in Pagkrati. She has extensive clinical and research experience in Greece and Germany. She specialized in Endocrinology, Diabetology, and Metabolism at the University Hospital of Tübingen - Bad Cannstatt Hospital in Stuttgart, the University Hospital of Giessen, and the Endocrinology and Gestational Diabetes departments at the "Alexandra" University General Hospital in Athens. She actively participates in numerous endocrinology and diabetology conferences for continuous education and updates in her field. Additionally, she is a member of the Hellenic Endocrine Society and the Athens Medical Association.

Mpaniotis Ioannis is a Pathologist who maintains a private practice in Thessaloniki. He holds a degree from the Medical School of Bucharest and completed his specialization in Internal Medicine at the General Hospital of Giannitsa and the General Hospital of Thessaloniki "Agios Dimitrios." Additionally, after two years of training, he obtained certification in Medical Acupuncture and has undergone further training at the Hospital of Acupuncture and Moxibustion in Beijing and the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. From 2007 to 2013, he provided services as a Specialist Pathologist at the IKA Pylis Axiou in Thessaloniki, as a medical examiner at the Naval Retirement Fund, the Hotel Workers' Fund (TAXY), as well as in private clinics in Thessaloniki. Currently, he volunteers at the KAPI centers of the Municipality of Thessaloniki, examining and providing services to the vulnerable elderly population. Finally, he has participated in numerous national and international conferences and is a member of the Medical Society of Pathology and other medical associations.

Kouri Eirini is a Dietitian - Nutritionist and operates a private practice in Nea Smyrni. She holds a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, with postgraduate studies at Harokopio University (clinical dietitian). She has a master's degree in eating disorders, obesity, and childhood obesity, as well as a specialization in sports nutrition.

She collaborated for several years with the Academy of P.A.E. Panionios, providing nutritional guidance and has delivered numerous lectures on the Mediterranean Diet in schools in Nea Smyrni.

At her practice, she offers nutritional services for various conditions such as weight loss, weight gain, pregnancy, breastfeeding, nutrition for athletes, prevention or management of pathological conditions (diabetes mellitus, digestive system diseases), treatment of eating disorders, childhood obesity, as well as nutrition for women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Finally, she has attended numerous nutrition conferences and workshops as part of her ongoing professional development and is a member of the Panhellenic Association of Dietitians - Nutritionists.

Xantzaridis Petros is a Military Dietitian - Nutritionist, founder and Director of the Clinical Diet dietetic office in Agia Paraskevi. He was admitted to the Veterinary Medicine Department of the Military School of Officers Corps (SSAS) in Thessaloniki and was commissioned as an Officer of the Hellenic Army in 1996, having been honored with scholarships and commendations from the State Scholarships Foundation (I.K.Y.). In 2000, he was admitted to the Department of Nutrition & Dietetics of the School of Food Technology & Nutrition at ATEI Thessaloniki and graduated in 2003, again receiving scholarships from I.K.Y. In 2009, he was selected by the Health Directorate of the General Staff of the Army as a recipient of an honorary educational scholarship in the field of Dietetics. The prestigious New York University in the United States selected him among numerous candidates from around the world and accepted him into the Graduate Program of Clinical Nutrition, from which he graduated in 2010 with a Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition, receiving favorable reviews from leading international Nutrition professors. Since 2005, he has served for several years as Director of the Dietetic Department of the 401 General Military Hospital of Athens. His daily management of clinical cases at the 401 General Military Hospital of Athens, his extensive experience, and the breadth of his studies allow him to have a comprehensive understanding of the food chain, nutritional risks, and their proper management both preventively and in clinical settings. Finally, upon requests from Harokopio University of Athens and the Department of Nutrition & Dietetics of the Technological Educational Institute of Crete, he has undertaken the training of many final-year students as part of their practical training.

Maurandrea Nota is a Psychologist - Psychotherapist, PhD Candidate at the Medical School of the University of Athens, and maintains a private practice in Agia Paraskevi. She works with adults and adolescents facing mental health challenges such as eating disorders, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, addictions, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, low self-esteem, and others. Additionally, she supports parents in strengthening their role. Her approach is based on developing a therapeutic relationship in which the patient can safely and confidently understand and connect with themselves. Regarding her education, she is a graduate of the Psychology Department of the University of Crete with postgraduate studies in Addiction Treatment. She is specialized in Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy and concurrently specializes in the Treatment of Eating Disorders at Aeginiteio Hospital, where she also serves as a Scientific Collaborator in the respective Unit.

Grigorios Rompopoulos, Endocrinologist, Diabetologist, Grigorios Rompopoulos is a graduate of the Medical School of the University of Athens. He has held the specialty of Endocrinology since 2008 and has been practicing as a private physician in Athens since then. He possesses extensive experience in clinical studies with more than 40 scientific publications and presentations in international scientific journals and conferences. He served as a general practitioner in Boeotia, as a pathology resident at Nikaia General Hospital, and as an endocrinology resident at Hippokration Hospital of Athens, where he obtained his specialty in Endocrinology. He worked for several years as a hospital physician in private clinics and later as a medical consultant and medical director at a company developing innovative therapies.

Η Ζωή Μαυρίδου είναι Διαιτολόγος – Διατροφολόγος, απόφοιτος του Τμήματος Επιστήμης Διαιτολογίας και Διατροφής του Χαροκοπείου Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών. Με πάθος για την επιστημονική ακρίβεια και την εξατομικευμένη προσέγγιση, δημιούργησε το Κέντρο «Διατροφή Ζωής», με στόχο να παρέχει προσωποποιημένη καθοδήγηση βασισμένη στις ανάγκες και τις ιδιαιτερότητες του κάθε ανθρώπου.

Πιστεύοντας στην αξία της δια βίου μάθησης, έχει εξειδικευτεί περαιτέρω σε σημαντικά πεδία της διατροφής όπως:

• Διατροφή στην κύηση, το θηλασμό και τη γονιμότητα, μέσω προγράμματος του ΚΕΔΙΒΙΜ του Αριστοτελείου Πανεπιστημίου Θεσσαλονίκης.
• Διατροφικές διαταραχές (βουλιμία, ψυχογενής ανορεξία, συναισθηματική υπερφαγία) με εξειδίκευση επίσης από το ΕΚΠΑ.
• Health Coaching, ολοκληρώνοντας σχετική εκπαίδευση στο Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών, ώστε να ενισχύσει τη βιωσιμότητα των διατροφικών αλλαγών στην καθημερινή ζωή των συμβουλευόμενων.
• Εκπαίδευση στο πρόγραμμα “Πέρα από τα όρια της δίαιτας”, από το Κέντρο Ψυχολογικών Εφαρμογών (ΚΕ.Ψ.ΕΦ), που επικεντρώνεται στη σχέση με το φαγητό και τη βελτίωση της διατροφικής συμπεριφοράς χωρίς περιοριστικές δίαιτες.

Έχει επίσης ενεργή παρουσία σε εκπαιδευτικά και επιστημονικά δρώμενα, όπως:

• Παρακολούθηση συνεδριών, ημερίδων και ιατρικών συμποσίων που αφορούν την παχυσαρκία, τις τροφικές αλλεργίες, τις ΙΦΝΕ, την οστεοπόρωση και άλλα συναφή θέματα.
• Είχε συνεργασία με το Ινστιτούτο Prolepsis για εκπαιδευτικές δράσεις σε σχολεία με θέμα τη διατροφική εκπαίδευση παιδιών.
• Πραγματοποίηση πολλών ομιλιών σε παιδικές και εφηβικές αθλητικές ομάδες.

Παράλληλα, εμπλουτίζει συνεχώς τις γνώσεις της μέσω της παρακολούθησης μαθημάτων της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης Κλινικής Διατροφής και Μεταβολισμού (ESPEN LLL) και του World Obesity Organization (SCOPE), για την απόκτηση της πιστοποίησης “Specialist Certification of Obesity Professional Education”.

Με γνώμονα ότι «η διατροφή δεν είναι ίδια για όλους», η Ζωή Μαυρίδου εργάζεται με σεβασμό στη μοναδικότητα κάθε ατόμου, προσφέροντας ουσιαστική, εφαρμόσιμη καθοδήγηση και υποστήριξη. Όραμά της είναι η βελτίωση της σχέσης με το φαγητό και η ουσιαστική αλλαγή τρόπου ζωής, μέσα από επιστημονική γνώση, ενσυναίσθηση και ρεαλισμό.

Mata Eirini BSc is a Psychologist - Psychotherapist with a private practice in Kolonaki. She graduated from the Department of Psychology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and holds a professional license to practice. She is currently undertaking postgraduate training in Relational Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy at the Institute of Relational and Group Psychotherapy (ISOP). She has been in personal therapy since 2010 and under supervision since 2023. She is a member of the International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy (IARPP) and the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA). As part of her personal development and professional training, she participates in conferences, workshops, and educational seminars. Her aim is to enhance psychological resilience, facilitate the patient’s adaptation to new challenges and situations with flexibility and confidence, and ultimately, to promote self-awareness and personal integration.

Dr. Eleni Tsaroucha is a specialist in internal medicine and diabetes and has a private practice in Volos. She was admitted to the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens through the Panhellenic Examinations, from which she graduated after the required six years of study with a grade of 8.1. She received her specialization in Internal Medicine and her subspecialization in Diabetology at some of the largest hospitals in Germany, under the supervision and guidance of internationally renowned professors. She is a graduate of the internationally renowned Herz und Diabeteszentrum NRW at the University of Bochum, which in 2018 won the award for the best hospital in Germany for patients with diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. In this context, she specializes in diabetes mellitus, its possible complications, and their treatment and prevention. At the academic level, Dr. Eleni Tsaroucha holds a PhD from the Medical School of Freiburg, Germany, with a summa cum laude degree in diabetes mellitus. She holds a master's degree in health economics from FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg University, with a focus on diabetes mellitus. She has contributed to studies published in prestigious international scientific journals and has given numerous speeches at conferences and presentations. At her clinic, patients receive comprehensive and systematic care, including a complete medical history, physical examination, diagnostic tests, and a comprehensive assessment of their symptoms, which is the cornerstone of proper diagnosis and effective treatment. Finally, emphasis is placed on the prevention of various diseases, nutritional guidance, and, more generally, the improvement and maintenance of good health, well-being, and, consequently, quality of life.

Papagiannopoulou Glykeria MSc is a Dietitian - Nutritionist with a private practice in Trikala. She holds a degree from the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition Science at Harokopio University and a master's degree specializing in "Sports Nutrition" from the same university. She has significant professional experience and continuously attends scientific conferences and seminars in Greece and abroad related to the prevention and management of obesity and its associated comorbidities. Utilizing Behavioral Modification techniques, which involve methods to change how we think and feel about food, she addresses the treatment of both childhood and adult obesity. At her private practice, she provides specialized nutrition programs tailored to the individual needs of each client. The "Nutrition Workshop" is the first specialized center in Trikala dedicated to the nutritional education of children! It is housed within Glykeria Papagiannopoulou’s dietetic office and offers a child-friendly environment. Through fun and engaging activities—such as play and interactive tasks—children learn how to maintain a balanced diet and incorporate exercise into their daily lives. Education can be conducted individually for each child, for the entire family, or in small groups of children. Board games, experiential activities, crafts, painting, fairy tales, children’s nutrition books, and many interactive games are key tools of the Workshop, helping children to internalize and develop a love for balanced nutrition and daily physical activity.

Apota Eudokia is a Dietitian - Nutritionist and operates a private practice in Ilioupoli. She is a graduate of the Higher Technological Educational Institute of Thessaly, specializing in Eating Disorders and Obesity (Master Practitioner in Eating Disorders & Obesity – KEADD). During her studies, she completed her internship at the General Hospital of Trikala, gaining valuable clinical experience. She has attended numerous seminars and workshops focused on clinical nutrition, childhood obesity, and weight management. She provides personalized nutrition programs aimed at promoting health and significantly improving quality of life.

Tsirkas Konstantinos is a General Practitioner - Family Doctor with a private practice in Peristeri, Attica, providing comprehensive primary healthcare services since 2023. With solid scientific training and a patient-centered approach, he offers complete medical support to patients of all ages, with particular emphasis on the management of chronic diseases such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus. Simultaneously, he undertakes the immediate treatment of everyday emergency cases, offering reliable and prompt care. Preventive medicine constitutes a significant part of his practice, focusing on preventive screenings and guiding patients toward a healthier and more balanced lifestyle. He also provides full prescription services, issuance of referrals, and monitoring of therapeutic regimens, as well as the issuance of necessary certificates for work or driving. Additionally, he has experience in preparing KEPA files, offering comprehensive support for disability assessment procedures with responsibility, accuracy, and utmost respect for the patient.

Karagiannaki Stella is a Dietitian - Nutritionist and maintains a private practice in Dafni. She is a graduate of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki. She possesses valuable professional experience, having worked as a Dietitian at Medi Prinos stores in Chalandri. Currently, in her private practice, she specializes in clinical nutrition, addressing dietary needs related to anemia, hypertension, diabetes, uric acid, cardiovascular diseases, and gastrointestinal disorders. Additionally, she has considerable experience in nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding. She also attends conferences and seminars aimed at her continuous training and education and has delivered lectures in schools on the topic of nutrition.

Kyritsis Aleksandros is a General Surgeon who maintains a private practice in Thessaloniki, collaborating with major private clinics in the city. He graduated from the Medical School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He specialized in General Surgery at the "General Hospital of Chalkidiki," the 2nd General Hospital of IKA "Panagia," and the General Hospital of Thessaloniki "Agios Pavlos." He received advanced training in minimally invasive surgery (Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery) at the world-renowned "Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center" in New York, specializing in the management of colorectal and anal diseases alongside the pioneering surgeon Garrett Nash. He worked for three years as a Consultant at leading hospitals in the United Kingdom, including "King’s College Hospital London," "Manchester Royal Infirmary," and "Chesterfield Royal Hospital." Subsequently, he participated in the specialized program for Laparoscopic Surgery and minimally invasive surgery of colorectal and anal diseases at the "Research Institute against Digestive Cancer" (IRCAD) and obtained a diploma in Laparoscopic Surgery from the University of Strasbourg. He has delivered presentations at international surgical conferences in the United Kingdom and the USA. He remains an active member of the Medical Council of England and a member of the American Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons, while periodically continuing to offer his services as a Specialist General Surgeon at the "Manchester Royal Infirmary" hospital in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Zaxaki Aglaia is an Endocrinologist and Diabetologist maintaining a private practice in Peristeri. She graduated from the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and is a PhD candidate at the same institution's Medical School. Dr. Zaxaki specialized in Endocrinology, Metabolic Diseases, and Diabetes Mellitus at the Endocrinology Department of the General Hospital of Athens "G. Gennimatas." Additionally, she has served as a collaborator and instructor in Higher Education (TEI) Athens and at various public IEK institutions, where she taught courses related to medical science. Furthermore, she attended the Clinic for Endocrine Disorders and Diabetes Mellitus in Pregnancy at the Endocrinology Department of the University General Hospital - Maternity "Elena Venizelou." She also participated in the Menopause Clinic at the 2nd Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens at "Aretaieio" Hospital. Moreover, Dr. Zaxaki holds a license from the Ministry of Health to perform thyroid ultrasound and ultrasound examinations of the organs within her specialty. Finally, she has numerous original research publications in internationally recognized medical journals, oral and written presentations at Greek and international conferences, as well as extensive research experience.

Martzivanou Maria is a certified Psychotherapist in Person-Centered Therapy, Focusing Experiential Therapy, as well as Existential Therapy, with a private practice in Thessaloniki. She has specialized in Positive Psychology and Medical Psychology, focusing on understanding the relationship between the mind and body, the psychosomatic expression of trauma, and the needs of individuals living with chronic or acute physical pain. Through extensive training and experiential practice, she has successfully integrated Western psychology with Eastern philosophy, building bridges between the mind, body, and spirit. Her approach honors the human existence as a whole, which does not need to be “fixed” but to find a space where it can be heard, to feel, and to unfold. She has provided voluntary services in social institutions such as the YMCA of Thessaloniki and the orphanage "Agios Stylianos." Finally, she is specialized in EFT Couples Therapy, Trauma Therapy and Psychosomatic Pain Treatment, Psychotherapy & Diagnosis of Adults with ADHD, Eating Disorders, and Nonviolent Communication (NVC).

Mosxou Eleni is a Dietitian - Nutritionist with a professional practice license and operates a private office in Pallini. She holds a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the International Hellenic University. She has earned the title of Master Practitioner in Eating Disorders and Obesity under the auspices of the National Centre for Eating Disorders in the United Kingdom. She specializes in modifying dietary behaviors through lifestyle habit changes in both adults and children, and develops personalized nutrition programs for weight modification, pathological cases, and athletes. She participates in numerous seminars and conferences to stay continuously updated on advancements in the field and delivers lectures at municipalities, schools, childcare institutions, and sports clubs, as well as interviews on television and YouTube on the topic of nutrition. Finally, she is a member of the Hellenic Dietitians - Nutritionists Association and the Panhellenic Association of Dietitians - Nutritionists.

Triantafyllidou Sofia is a Psychologist - Psychotherapist and maintains a private practice in Alimos. She holds a doctorate in Clinical Social Psychology from the University of Crete. She has received specialized training in a range of psychotherapeutic approaches, including Clinical Psychotherapy using Hypnotherapy (certified by GHSC), EMDR, as well as Music Therapy employing the Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) and Music Imagery (MI) methods. Additionally, she completed postgraduate studies in Educational Psychology at the University of Nicosia. Her professional experience includes extensive work as a psychologist in private practice, as well as in psychosocial support structures for students at higher education institutions such as the University of West Attica and the former Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Athens. She taught Psychology courses for several years at tertiary institutions and vocational training centers (IEK), and has been a member of the Collaborating Educational Staff at the Hellenic Open University since 2013. She has provided psychological support to vulnerable social groups, including individuals with visual impairments and detainees at the Korydallos Judicial Prison Second Chance School, and has served as a Parent Counselor in schools in the Attica region. Her scientific and teaching activities are further supported by research work conducted at the Universities of Crete and Athens.