Investing in healthy schools that promote children’s well-being through stronger cooperation between educational and health institutions is crucial, was the central message of the 11th Pancyprian Public Health Conference which ended on Wednesday.

The two-day event, organised by the Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health at the Cyprus University of Technology under the auspices of President Nikos Christodoulides, highlighted key strategies to safeguard children’s health and psychosocial development.

Discussions on Wednesday, day two of the conference, emphasised human biomonitoring as a vital tool for protecting children from harmful chemicals present in everyday sources such as food, water and personal care products.

Systematic monitoring of health and environmental indicators during critical developmental periods was deemed essential to timely identify risks affecting child growth. The conference also proposed “school community observatories” which would complement and reinforce existing school health services to reduce health inequalities.

Recent epidemiological studies presented at the event showed that limiting screen and social media time in early childhood significantly supports cognitive development.

Additionally, adopting healthy habits during adolescence was identified as a key factor in reducing the risk of cancer and premature mortality. Addressing risk factors such as childhood obesity is also critical in preventing fatty liver disease, the most common liver condition in children.

Moreover, the conference found that cross-sectoral coordination of school health education programmes strengthens children’s resilience to environmental risks.

Efforts to upgrade schoolyards and their joint management by schools, municipalities, and communities were also seen as promising steps toward supporting environmental education and revitalising urban areas suffering from a lack of greenery.