Vassilakou Nair-Tonia

Tonia Vassilakou is Professor of Special Population Groups’ Nutrition and Public Health at the Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica. Since 2016 she is a member of the National Nutrition Policy Committee. She holds a Degree on Food Science and Technology from the Agricultural University of Athens (1988) and she pursued her PhD at the Medical School of the University of Athens (1995).

She is is the Chair of the Dept. Of Public Health Policy, University of West Attica and the Director of the MSc. Program in Public Health held by the Department of Public Health Policy. She has been teaching and/or coordinating the modules of the MSc. Program Public She has been teaching in undergraduate and as an invited lecturer in postgraduate courses organized by the Medical School of Thessaloniki, the Medical School of Athens, the Harokopio University and the Nursing School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She has been the supervisor of more than 120 master dissertations, she is the supervisor of 3 doctoral theses and a member of the advisory committee for 4 doctoral theses.

She has been coordinating and participating in several research projects ( EURONUT-SENECA, COST, DAFNE, EPIC, INTERREG, GreekCF) in the areas of her research interests, specifically on nutritional knowledge and behavior of children and adolescents, childhood obesity, nutritional status among elderly persons and other population groups, quality of life of menopausal women, the role of nutrition and physical activity for the mental health, in collaboration with research institutes, universities and public health organisations and bodies in Greece and Europe.

Over the last years, she has written/edited 2 books, has contributed to 9 chapters of Greek and international books and textbooks, has published more than 80 high impact original research scientific papers in national and international peer-reviewed journals and more than 75 abstracts in national and international scientific conferences with peer review. She is the Guest Editor for the Special Issues on “Childhood Malnutrition”, “Nutrition in Pediatric Patients and Vulnerable Populations: Updates and Advances” και “Body Image, Weight Pressure and Disordered Eating Behaviors among Children and Adolescents”, a member of the Editorial Board of the peer- reviewed Open Access Journal “Children” by MDPI, a member of the Topical Advisory Panel of the Open Access Journal “Nutrients” by MDPI and a Review Editor in Frontiers in Public Health – Public Health Education and Promotion.

She is a member of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Focal Point for Greece, a member of the Research Team for the survey Health Statistics in Greece conducted by the Greek Statistics Authority and a member of many Greek and international scientific societies.

Selected Recent Publications

1. Sotiraki M, Malliou A, Tachirai N, Kellari N, Grammatikopoulou M.G, Sergentanis T.N, Vassilakou T. Burden of Childhood Malnutrition: A Roadmap of Global and European Policies Promoting Healthy Nutrition for Infants and Young Children. Children Special Issue “Nutrition in Pediatric Patients and Vulnerable Populations: Updates and Advances” 2022; 9 (8): 1179. DOI: 10.3390/children9081179
2. Vassilakou T. Old and New Challenges in Pediatric Health Policies. Children Special Issue “Pediatric Health Policy” 2022; 9 (8): 1196. DOI: 10.3390/children9081196
3. Konstantopoulou S, Vassilakou T, Kontele I, Fouskas T. Looking Arabs in the Teeth: Unveiling the Relation between Oral Health and Nutrition of Arabs in Greece στη σειρά βιβλίων Advances in Health and Disease (Duncan LT, ed) No. 58, Nova Sciences Publishers. New York, USA, 2022, pages 49-89 (ISBN: 979-8-88697-192-7
4. Floria I. Kontele I, Grammatikopoulou M.G, Sergentanis T.N, Vassilakou T. Quality of Life of Hemodialysis Patients. Correlations with Socio-economic and Anthropometric Factors and Mediterranean Diet Adherence. A Cross-Sectional study. International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health, Special Issue “Recent Advances in Nutrition and Health” 2022; 19: 15389. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192215389
5. Vassilakou T, Grammatikopoulou M, Gkiouras K. Dietary Guide entitled «Changing our dietary habits: from animal foods to plant foods», in collaboration with WWF Greece. European Program DEAR «Eat 4 Change – Mobilising youth for sustainable diets». Athens, 2022 (https:// w w f e u . a w s a s s e t s . p a n d a . o r g / d o w n l o a d s / praktikosodigosviosimisdiatrofisgianeous_allazontasdiatrofikessynitheies.pdf). DOI: 10.17605/ OSF.IO/2WVT3
6. Konstantopoulou S, Vassilakou T. Determinants of Oral Health Problems among Community- Living Elderly Persons in Greece – The Role of Diet and Chronic Diseases in Oral Health. J Gerontol Geriatr Med 2022; 8: 145. DOI: 10.24966/GGM-8662/100145
7. Petraki K, Grammatikopoulou M.G, Tekos F, Skaperda Z, Orfanou M, Mesnage R, Vassilakou T. and Kouretas D. Estimation of redox status in military pilots during hypoxic flight-simulation conditions – a pilot study. Antioxidants 2022; 11 (7): 1241. DOI: 10.3390/antiox11071241
8. Koulierakis G, Dermati A, Vassilakou T, Pavi E, Zavras D, Kyriopoulos J. Determinants of healthy diet choices during austerity in Greece”. British Food Journal 2022; 124 (9): 2893-2910. DOI: 10.1108/BFJ-10-2020-0883
9. Kontele I, Vassilakou T, Donti O. Weight Pressures and Eating Disorder Symptoms among Adolescent Female Gymnasts of Different Performance Levels in Greece. Children, Special Issue “Body Image, Weight Pressure and Disordered Eating Behaviors among children and adolescents” 2022; 9 (2): 254. DOI: 10.3390/children9020254
10. Gkiouleka M, Stavraki C, Sergentanis T.N, Vassilakou T. Orthorexia nervosa in adolescents and young adults: a literature review. Children, Special Issue “Body Image, Weight Pressure and Disordered Eating Behaviors among children and adolescents” 2022; 9 (3): 365. DOI: 10.3390/ children9030365
11.Tsekos C, Vassilakou T. Food choices, morality and the role of environmental ethics. Philosophy Study 2022; 12 (3): 147-152. DOI: 10.17265/2159-5313/2022.03.005
12. Vassilakou T. Childhood Malnutrition, Children, Special Issue “Childhood Malnutrition” 2021; 8 (2): 103. DOI: 10.3390/children8020103
13. Kontele I, Vassilakou T. Nutritional risks among adolescent athletes with disordered eating. Children, Special Issue “Childhood Malnutrition” 2021; 8 (8): 715. DOI: 10.3390/children8080715
14. Arvanitaki E, Vassilakou T. Assessment of the nutritional status of elderly people attending the Open Care Centers in the Municipality of Keratsini-Drapetsona, and correlation with socioeconomic status and health indicators. Archives of hellenic Medicine 2022; 39 (1): 72-81
15. Kontele I, Grammatikopoulou M, Vassilakou T. Level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and weight status among adolescent female gymnasts: a cross-sectional study. Children, Special Issue “Nutrition in Pediatric Patients and Vulnerable Populations: Updates and Advances” 2021; 8 (12): 1125. DOI: 10.3390/children8121135
16. Poulimeneas D, Grammatikopoulou MG, Petrocheilou A, Kaditis AG, Vassilakou T. Triage for Malnutrition Risk among Pediatric and Adolescent Outpatients with Cystic Fibrosis, Using a Disease-Specific Tool. Children, Special Issue “Childhood Malnutrition” 2020; 7 (12): 269. DOI: 10.3390/children7120269
17. Diakatou V. and Vassilakou T. Nutritional Status of Pediatric Cancer Patients at Diagnosis and Correlations with Treatment, Clinical Outcome and the Long-Term Growth and Health of Survivors. Children, Special Issue “Childhood Malnutrition” 2020; 7 (11): 218. DOI: 10.3390/ children7110218