More than half of Greek children are overweight, according to figures released yesterday by the Health Ministry, which said it was launching a campaign to stem the growing number of fat youngsters in the country.

The ministry’s statistics show that 54 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 11 are overweight, while the figure drops slightly to 40 percent for those between the ages of 12 and 17.

The consumption of fast food has soared by almost 1,000 percent since 2000 as the vast majority of children do not eat dinner under the watchful eyes of their parents.

The ministry will launch a marketing campaign, including television advertisements, that will also involve high-profile athletes visiting schools, to encourage youngsters to adopt a healthier lifestyle involving more exercise.