June the 13th, 2022 - Just how much does it cost to raise children in Croatia? From the spending done during pregnancy to the first year or two of life, all the way to the end of the college years, the numbers are enough to put many off as Croatian women choose to start families later and later in life.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Croatian women are giving birth later and later in life, and there are more and more young women who simply don't want children at all. The reason for this, among many other personal ones, could be the fact that children are simply ridiculously expensive. Raising children in Croatia, while more favourable economically than some other countries, still doesn't come anywhere close to cheap.

Issues that people take into account when thinking about parenting concern the overall uncertainty, growing debt, poor housing markets and the labour market situation, and even climate change.

How much does it cost to raise children in Croatia? According to the data gathered by the Stedopis association, at least 460,000 kuna is needed to get a child into a decent faculty, and along with studying, those related costs rise to more than 630,000 kuna. However, this is only an estimate because there has been no real in depth research on this topic, nor is there a calculator to calculate the costs involved to raise children in Croatia, unlike in America, where people can estimate how much raising their child will cost, and as such plan more accurately.

Pregnancy and the first year of a child's life in Croatia

Expectant parents will start spending cash on their child before it even enters the world. It's necessary to buy their first clothes, buy a baby cot/crib, purchase a good stroller, buy a baby bath tub, a changing table and diapers for the first days of their lives. One mother told Stedopis that she spent 30,000 kuna in the first year of her child's life alone. She claims that she used preloved equipment, that is, that she only bought a stroller and a crib.

The price of one diaper/nappy ranges from 1 to 1.50 kuna, and five to ten a day are needed. If we take into account that most Croatian parents buy cheaper diapers, at the price of one single kuna per piece, and the child requires five of those per day (which isn't all that realistic, especially in the first weeks when more than five are needed), then you can set aside a minimum of 1825 kuna per year just for diapers. If the mother isn't breastfeeding, she will also need to purchase formula, the price of which is 50 kuna or more, depending on the weight and age of the baby.

Preschoolers

In addition to clothing and cosmetics, the child's parents may also need to finance a crèche, a kindergarten, as well as various activities. This means that by primary school age, parents can spend up to 150 thousand kuna per child.

Elementary school students

When the child starts attending school, they will need a school bag and accessories, which costs about a thousand kuna in total. One family calculated for they spend around 27 thousand kuna a year on their elementary school student. So, up to the 12th year of a child's life, parents raising children in Croatia will need to invest an additional 135 thousand kuna per child. These include a desk, chair, a larger, more age approproiate bed, a computer (tablet), school meals, extracurricular activities, school trips, birthdays, pocket money, clothes and shoes, and so on.

Teenagers

The minimum alimony for 2022, for a child aged 13 to 18, is 1,568.38 kuna per month, but that sum isn't even close enough to meet all the costs (and needs) of teenagers.

"The costs in the third and fourth grade of high school is the highest because you have to pay for their prom trip, maybe also the preparations for the prom, the prom dinner, the formal clothes. Even if a basic visit to the dentist and an ophthalmologist ends with a recommendation for orthodontic braces and/or glasses, then that's an additional 14 thousand kuna in one go. In short, a parent with a child between the age of 13 to 18 will need to spend a minimum of 180 thousand kuna. In previous years, the amount reached 465 thousand kuna,'' they say from Stedopis.

Students

The EUROSTUDENT VII report published back in 2021 revealed that the total semester costs of studying per student in the Republic of Croatia average 16,593 kuna, or 33,186 kuna per year. These amounts include the cost of living and studying. During five years of study, that sum can quite easily reach a massive 165,930 kuna.

When we add it all up, to raise children in Croatia, parents have to set aside a minimum of 630,930 kuna per child to pay for all of their needs by the end of their college education.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

October 2, 2021 - With every third child having a weight problem, the study finds that the sheer amount of overweight Croatian children is a legitimate concern.

The Dalmatian meat specialty of Pašticada, Zagorje's Štrukli, spicy Slavonian sausages called Kulen... the list goes on and these are just some of the delicious foods Croats traditionally eat. But even outside of tradition, there are loads of contemporary food restaurants, foreign food options (Chinese, Mexican, Arab, Greek and more), not to mention many fast-food chains and even more bakeries. Basically, there's no need to worry about starving in Croatia. And that may also turn into a problem.

As Srednja.hr writes, every third child in Croatia is overweight, meaning there is now a serious concern about overweight Croatian children which needs to be tackled.

This fact was discovered during the ''European Initiative for monitoring childhood obesity in Croatia 2018/2019'' (CroCOSI), conducted by the European Office of the World Health Organisation. It's interesting to note that the research leader for Croatia was none other than Sanja Musić Milanović, the wife of the current Croatian president, Zoran Milanović.

The results of the research were presented last week at the Croatian Public Health Institute (HZJZ). ''Around 35% of Croatian children aged 8 to 9 are overweight, and only 14% of parents are aware of that,'' writes Srednja.hr.

Looking at different regions, the lowest amount of overweight Croatian children can be found in Zagreb (29.7%). While continental Croatia has a higher percentage (36.0%), the Adriatic region holds a record-breaking number, reaching almost 37%.

Gender-wise, Croatian boys have more weight issues than girls do (17.8% / 11.9%).

While this isn't too much of a drastic rise when compared to the research from 2015/2016 (the total percentage was 34.9%), being overweight remains a big problem for Croatia which can lead to serious health risks sooner or later. These issues go deeper than personal health but also result in more pressure being placed on an already burdened healthcare system.

What's interesting, is that this weight problem is more of an issue in rural areas than it is in urban ones, even though you'd think it should be the other way around as rural areas are more in touch with nature and offer more possibilities for recreation. However, urban areas, as a study suggests, have better prevention programmes which advocate for healthy habits and lifestyles.

Additionally, the fact that only 14% of parents are aware that their child has a weight problem also shows problems in understanding of what a good diet actually is among Croats.

''The Health Ministry has recognised the weight issue as a priority area and has started with preparations for making a prevention plan for it. I believe that with the implementation of this action plan, we'll contribute in stopping this negative trend rising on a national level in the years to come,'' commented Health Minister Vili Beroš.

The problem of overweight children and fat-shaming has recently been recognised among Croatian pupils. As TCN wrote, pupils in schools are no longer measured publicly but privately. However, the combat against unhealthy habits among Croatian children for a healthier, more knowledgeable generation is still underway.

Learn more about Croatian food in our TC guide.

 For more about health in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

October 1, 2021 - The Croatian Toys Exhibition "Toys-Childhood Forever", displays toys from as early as the 19th century. Numerous Zagreb museums took part in this project lead by the Ethnographic Museum.

The pandemic and earthquakes caused some setbacks to events and cultural happenings in Zagreb, but art and culture in the capital of Croatia quickly got back on its feet (as culture and art in Croatia are sadly used to harsh conditions).

True, some museums such as the School Museum still await reconstruction, but other museums not only slowly re-opened, a cluster even managed to pull off a suitable programme for International Museum Day earlier in 2021. Zagreb's Ethnographic Museum, along with other museums, continues to keep culture alive both for citizens and visitors.

''Toys-Childhood Forever'' is a project the Ethnographic Museum which started in June and will continue all the way until May 22, 2022.

Eleven guest exhibitions from other museums across the city (in the small gallery on the first floor of the Ethnographic Museum), as well as the central exhibition, have been modified to children (but its not forbidden for adults), and will present traditional, artistic and industrial kids toys manufactured in Croatia from the 19th century until today. These include showcasing the work of noted Croatian artists that worked with known foreign clients and museums.

The author of the project is dD. Iris Biškupić Bašić while the graphic solutions for the exhibitions were managed by Nikolina Jelavić Mitrović. Financial support was secured by the Croatian Ministry of Culture and the Zagreb City Culture Office.

''The project includes animated movies from the production of Zagreb Film within the famous Zagreb School of Animated Film. There are also educational workshops and thematic exhibitions of other Zagreb Museums,'' reads the description on the official Zagreb City website.

It's worth pointing out that the Zagreb School of Animated Film is an iconic animation style that originates from the city and was active from the late 50's to the 80's. The style became particularly respected thanks to Dušan Vukotić and his animated film Surogat, which, as TCN previously wrote, is the only Croatian film to win Oscar Academy Award back in 1962.

Other Museums involved in this project include the Museum of Arts and Crafts, the Croatian History Museum, the Croatian School Museum, the Archaeological Museum, the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum, the Croatian Sport Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

The authors of the visiting exhibitions are the curators from the aforementioned museums, and noted Croatian toy designers Jasmina Kosanović and Lea Vavra are enrolled in the project too. Until May 22, 2022, both visitors and locals have an excellent opportunity to see the history of children's entertainment as well as a chance to see neat craftsmanship that is no child's play to achieve.

Learn more about Croatian museums on our TC page.

For more about culture in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 7 Sept, 2021 - Two-thirds of young people surveyed in Croatia (61%) opened a profile on social networks before they turned 13, a UNICEF survey shows, warning that young people leave their mobile phone numbers and photographs online without any control.

Even though profiles on social networks are not allowed for children under the age of 13, 5% of respondents opened a profile when they were aged 7 or 8 and 16% had one at age 9 or 10, UNICEF warned after conducting the survey in collaboration with the HURA market communications NGO.

The survey was conducted among 1,092 children and young people, showing that children opened profiles on social networks at a very young age and that they left their mobile phone numbers and photographs online without any obstacles, so they can access free online content such as music or videos.

One-fifth of the children surveyed said that they had noticed inappropriate ads for adults on social networks and websites, including pornography and explicit photographs, as well as adds for alcohol, cigarettes, gambling and so on.

A significant number gave their mobile phone number (35%) or photographs (18%). The survey also showed that more than one-third of those surveyed (37%) didn't know what the role of cookies was on social networks.

When it comes to influencers, the majority of those surveyed (88%) said that influencers did not impact their purchases.

UNICEF has issued recommendations for responsible digital marketing and advertising towards children, including the need to protect the personal data of children and young people and to develop media and digital literacy among children and parents.

Children must not be exposed to ads for food with high fat, sugar and salt content or to ads for alcohol, tobacco, lotteries, medication, aesthetic operations while influencer promoted products on digital media always have to be advertised in a clear manner for children, UNICEF underscored.

For more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 8 June, 2021 - Biljana Borzan, one of Croatia's members of the European Parliament, said on Tuesday that a motion by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to ban the sale of energy drinks to children should have been supported in 2018 because the recent death of a 13-year-old youth in Zagreb might have been avoided.

MEP Borzan, who put forward a bill to ban the sale of energy drinks to children, told a press conference that this is an exceptionally important topic, however, the ideas and proposals by the opposition were ignored at the time.

"Had our proposal to ban the sale of energy drinks to children three years ago been adopted in the Sabor, perhaps this tragedy would not have occurred. I am nauseated to be here today as a mother and a doctor," she said, expressing her condolences to the family of the deceased youth.

She added that this was the first case of death of a child connected to the consumption of an energy drink and warned that if nothing was done, it would not be the last. "There is a considerable number of cases like this one in the world. Consumption of energy drinks by children is problematic for more than one reason," said Borzan.

By consuming energy drinks, children consume large quantities of sugar, which negatively impacts obesity statistics in Croatia. The second problem is the consumption of caffeine, taurine and other problematic and suspect substances while the third problem is that children's taste changes with such extremely sweet beverages so all other food becomes insufficiently sweet for them, Borzan said. The fourth problem is that the consumption of energy drinks in combination with alcohol is becoming more and more popular among teenagers, she added.

High blood pressure, heart attack, arrhythmia, headache, nausea, vomiting, cramping, panic attacks, anxiety, stress, diabetes, addiction, allergies, insomnia, risky behaviour, are just some of the repercussions of excessive consumption of energy drinks, she explained.

She recalled that in 2018, the SDP had proposed a bill to ban the sale of energy drinks to children under the age of 18, which was rejected by the ruling majority, which initially said that the EU did not allow this, said Borzan.

That is not true as some Baltic countries have such a law in force while retail chains in some EU countries have imposed such a ban on their own, Borzan said.

The government then said that it would introduce an additional tax in an effort to deal with that problem, which it did, Borzan said, noting that a ban would be far more effective and just as it would refer only to children.

Citing data from the European Food Safety Authority, Borzan said that the situation in Croatia was concerning as 86% of 16-year-olds consume energy drinks and 47% of them combine them with alcohol.

Sixty percent of children under the age of 12 who regularly consume energy drinks said they did so because they liked the taste, Borzan said, noting that it was bizarre that 40% of them said they consumed them because they lacked energy.

In addition to a ban, it is important to educate the public so parents don't buy these drinks for their children, she said.

Referring to an announcement by the government that it plans to establish an inquiry commission for this problem, Borzan said that this was a tardy response and warned that inquiry commissions had not resulted in positive changes in the past.

For more about health in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

May 27, 2021 - The sixth article in the "Friends of Croatia: UNICEF" series explores the work of the UNICEF Office for Croatia. What is done regarding children's rights in Croatia, positives, and negatives, and how can you help if you want to?

To ensure that our world even stays the same, let alone improves, new generations are essential. But, before they grow old enough to participate in society, society must first take care of the youngest ones to grow and develop. Society must ensure for kids that they grow up in families filled with love, make sure that kids can go to school, that they are healthy, safe from violence, that they are not hungry or thirsty, and give them overall opportunity to make it in the world. 

Basically, children have rights, and they are in more detail elaborated in 54 articles. For more details, have a look at the Convention on the Rights of the Child that came to power on September 2, 1990, by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

Regina M. Castillo, UNICEF office for Croatia representative with children with disabilities in Centre Tomislav Špoljar in Varaždin © Marin Ilej/UNICEF

The UN is dedicated to seeing this Convention is being respected, and United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, commonly known as UNICEF, specializes in the issues of children's rights. Established in the aftermath of World War II, UNICEF has been at the frontlines of humanitarian crises, armed conflict, and natural disasters.

„Undeterred by the scale of the crises, we rise to the challenge, reimagine what is possible and respond by helping millions of children survive and thrive. Our on-the-ground expertise has reached more than 191 countries and territories, through committed partnerships and a passion for innovation“, says UNICEF on its official website.

Croatia signed and agreed with the Convention, and UNICEF today has its own office in Zagreb. Furthermore, it's worth noting that UNICEF has existed for 75 years, and despite firstly coming to Croatian territory while the country was part of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, UNICEF has been with Croatia since the organization was established.

„Many people do not know that UNICEF helped to eradicate malaria in Croatia and that UNICEF played a key role in the development of modern dairy. Dairies were built in Zagreb, Rijeka, and Split, and factories for the production of powder milk in Osijek and Županja. Milk was distributed in schools, and for many children, it was their only meal during the day“, says Regina M. Castillo, UNICEF Office for Croatia representative.

Regina M. Castillo, UNICEF office for Croatia representative © Marin Ilej/UNICEF

The UNICEF representative is elected for a five-year mandate, and Regina M. Castillo came to her function in Croatia in 2019. Her career in the UN started in 2001 and was in charge of economic and social questions in the Executive Office of the UN chief secretary Kofi Annan in New York. This was followed by Castilla moving to work in the mutual program for HIV/AIDS, known as UNAIDS. She was first the director of private sector partnerships in Geneva (2006-2012) and then moved to be the director for Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru (2012-2015). She majored in International relations and public politics.

Born in Nicaragua, she first started her career in the 1990s as a diplomat, and she was also the headmistress for international trade in the Nicaraguan Trading Ministry.  

Helping Croatia before it was cool (or an independent country)

Castillo went on to continue that after World War 2, UNICEF fed six million children every day, which included many children in Croatia.

„One of those children was our dear colleague, prof. Josip Grgurić, who is still working tirelessly for the youngest. He still remembers the yellow cheese that was part of UNICEF's humanitarian package for families, as well as the chocolate that he then tasted for the first time. He later worked at the children's hospital in Klaićeva, which UNICEF helped found, and he still works hard on UNICEF’s Child-Friendly Hospital Initiative“, says Castillo indicating how valuable but also inspiring UNICEF can be to children. Castillo added that in the Homeland War, UNICEF was the first organization on the ground, making sure that children and families received the necessary psychosocial support and humanitarian packages. After the war, they educated children on how to protect themselves from landmines. 

Today Croatia developed, joined NATO and EU, and is a modern European country. With such progress, there have been many improvements in respect to children and their rights.

„Croatia has a low mortality rate of children under the age of five, extremely low stunted growth rate due to inadequate nutrition in the first years of life and the enrolment rate of children in primary school is almost 100 per cent“, pointed out Castillo.

„Croatia is an example in the world when it comes to the promotion of breastfeeding. It is rare that all public maternity wards in a country have the status of 'Child-Friendly Hospital'. With the support of UNICEF, partners have organized a network of breastfeeding support groups, and now we have more than 200 support groups in Croatia“, added Castillo on what the world can look up to this small South-Eastern European country.

Regina M. Castillo at Human milk bank © Marin Ilej/UNICEF 

Still, there are some issues Croatia needs to address and are far from ideal at the moment.

„There are still differences when it comes to access to services for children, depending on where they live and the conditions in which they grow up. Children with disabilities, as well as children from the poorest families, especially in rural areas, often do not have the opportunity to attend kindergarten and do not have the same access to specialized health services and therapies as children in urban areas. The focus of UNICEF in Croatia is on the most marginalized children: children with disabilities or developmental delays, children growing up without adequate parental care, children from minority groups, children at the risk of poverty and exclusion. UNICEF’s programs are focused on the well-being and protection of every child, with a special focus on the most vulnerable children“, pointed out Castillo.

Campaigns and programmes such as “Every child needs a family”, “The first three are the most important”, and “Stop violence among children” are perhaps the most known public action by UNICEF in Croatia, but returning to the good practices of breastfeeding, Castillo emphasizes the establishment of the Human Milk Bank in her current mandate.

„Thanks to the Human Milk Bank, prematurely born and seriously ill newborns (who do not have access to their own mother's milk) can receive milk donated by other mothers. We continually work on reducing the risk of disasters, support the development of quality foster care and provide support to parents in the upbringing and care of children through workshops and we work a lot with young people“, said Castillo.

In general, UNICEF has different types of offices in countries, and regarding the Croatian office, it’s a Country Office. In other words, most of the resources (human and financial) are invested in programs in Croatia. Castillo says that the five-year mandates have priorities that are determined in cooperation with partners. And while 80 percent of the funds raised are invested in programs for girls and boys in Croatia, there are funds and support programs for children outside of the country.

“For example, in 2018, UNICEF supported child health care in parts of Ukraine affected by the conflict and helped the building of five inclusive children's playgrounds in two refugee camps in Jordan in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs in 2019. Through the ‘Schools for Africa’ program ​​, which includes many kindergartens and schools throughout Croatia, UNICEF supports the education of girls and boys in Madagascar", Castillo listed several examples. 

Regina M. Castillo, UNICEF office for Croatia representative with children on Media Literacy days press conference with Radovan Fuchs Minister of Science and Education, Krešimir Partl, State Secretary at Ministry of culture and media and Robert Tomljenović, Deputy Director of the Council for Electronic Media © Marin Ilej/UNICEF 

Overall, the UNICEF Office for Croatia works closely with the Croatian Government, and most notably, with the Ministries of Social Welfare, Education, Health, and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. Other partners also include experts (Croatian experts, but also building on expertise and good practice from all over the world), professional associations, academia, services providers, and NGOs.

“UNICEF’s goal is to connect all stakeholders and to advocate and support systemic change for the well-being of all children. System change is a gradual process, and it can be challenging, but when it comes to children’s rights, every step forward is well worth the effort”, explained Castillo.

Croatian citizens showing support for UNICEF

On one hand, Croatia is a good country with low mortality rates of kids and a role model for breastfeeding promotions. On the other hand, however, peer to peer violence (on whose suppression the aforementioned “Stop violence among children“ campaign works heavily on), and unequal approach to education between rural and urban areas show Croatia has both its ups and downs. Unfortunately. The downside sometimes overshadows all the positive things.

One such instance was the tragic death of a two-year-old girl from Nova Gradiška on Easter Sunday. The death of a severely injured girl, who was brought to Zagreb's children's hospital after suffering abuse and heavy beating from her biological parents (and from whom the girl was taken and given to a foster family but was then returned back to biological parents), sparked controversy and citizens outrage, culminating in changes in social welfare law, as well as sacks and investigations in the welfare center in Nova Gradiška.  

„We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of two-and-a-half-year-old Nikoll on Easter Sunday. There are no words to express the pain of such a terrible event. Unfortunately, there are no simple and quick solutions to prevent violence against children. For years, UNICEF in Croatia has been continuously and persistently working in the field of child protection, educating experts from the social welfare system, but also other experts who work with children and families, such as experts from the health care, education, and justice systems. UNICEF implements various support programs for parents, and it is fully committed to the development of foster care and the improvement of the legislative framework. However, UNICEF is also aware that society as a whole, has a long way to go to achieve the goal that every girl and every boy is guaranteed the best possible care and protection. UNICEF will continue to work actively, persistently, and dedicatedly with all partners to achieve it”, commented Castillo.

Regina M. Castillo talking on Media Literacy days press conference © Marin Ilej/UNICEF 

However, Croatians recognize the importance of the UNICEF mission. Before Covid, UNICEF annually collaborated with the Museum of Illusions on the Museum of Reality exhibition which displayed the problems children faced worldwide, but which also showed what changes and solutions UNICEF brought to those areas. 

“Experience tells us that citizens are ready to support the youngest, in Croatia and beyond. Implementation of our programs would not be possible without the support from citizens and companies that placed the focus of their CSR activities precisely on children. We especially value the support from our Childhood Guardians, donors who support our work with regular monthly donations and allow us to regularly conduct our programs for boys and girls, as well as react quickly with much-needed assistance in crisis situations like the earthquakes in Croatia and the COVID-19 pandemic that affected all families. UNICEF is always in the field with the most vulnerable children and their families”, notes Castillo.

In the end is important to note, that while children are recognised as a particularly vulnerable group, all human rights apply equally to children. 

“All the rights enshrined in the Convention apply to every child, regardless of a child’s country of origin, gender, religion, and nationality. Every child, by birth, has all his/her rights, the right to grow up in a safe environment, to have a family, to have access to health care and education, to be able to play and develop his/her interests and reach his/her full potential”, concludes Castillo.

The five-year mandate is an agreement that sets priorities in advance, so Castillo warned that there is no opportunity for making donations outside of that framework. UNICEF office occasionally does get messages from citizens who need advice or help on issues outside of that frame, but nevertheless, UNICEF can offer them help by referring them to institutions and addresses that can offer citizens the necessary support, financial support, or information. 

With expertise mentioned several times throughout this story as the insurance of delivering the best solutions to issues children face, UNICEF is always on the lookout for new people. If you want to make a change in the world while earning a fair wage yourself, check out what expertise UNICEF is looking for right now.

Regina M. Castillo on a foster family gathering © Marin Ilej/UNICEF 

UNICEF Croatian Office is situated on Radnička cesta 41/7. To inform the public of their work, they built a considerable presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, and Linkedin. You can also find all UNICEF-related info for Croatia on their official website, and contact them via mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on phone numbers: +385 1 2442 660 and +385 1 2442 661. You can use the website to donate to a cause in Croatia too. Additionally, there are numbers: +385 1 4095 855, +385 99 2692 196, and +385 91 621 1039 for more details on donating to Croatia as well as e-mail address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also leave a donation to UNICEF in your will, and a phone number +385 1 3031 640 specializes for the issue in Croatia. If you find yourself in Croatia and you want to volunteer for UNICEF, more info can be found by sending a mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and on phone number +385 1 3031 646.

And of course, you can donate for a good cause to UNICEF for any action the fund is internationally involved in. 

To read more from the series "Friends of Croatia", follow TCN's dedicated page.

For more about UNICEF in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 4 March (Hina) - As many as 35% of eight-year-olds in Croatia are overweight, shows a survey by the CroCOSI European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative, which was presented on Thursday on the occasion of World Obesity Day by Sanja Musić Milanović, who headed the survey.

Musić Milanović described obesity as one of the biggest public health problems of the 21st century and the common denominator for all leading chronic non-infectious diseases.

"If in the next 30 years we do not reduce the trend of increasing obesity, the average life expectancy will be shorter by three and a half years," she warned, presenting the results of the second round of the survey conducted in 2019.

According to the survey, 33.1% of eight-year-old girls and 37% of boys are overweight.

In the past three years there has not been a significant increase in child obesity in Croatia, as the results for the first round of the survey (2015/2016) indicated that 34.9% of eight-year-olds were overweight while three years later that percentage was 35%. 

The survey also showed that about 57.4% of adults in Croatia have a problem with weight, which is a risk factor for a series of chronic non-infectious diseases.

Musić Milanović underscored that as much as 6.6% of the state budget earmarked for health is spent on diseases caused by obesity.

In Croatia, 67.6% of men are overweight, which makes them the "absolute champions in Europe," she said.

Northerners are the slimmest people, while southerners are the fattest, notably boys in Mediterranean countries, she added.

The presentation was attended by Health Minister Vili Beroš and Education Minister Radovan Fuchs. Beroš said that an action plan was being prepared to tackle the problem of obesity while Fuchs said that an initiative had been launched recently to increase Physical Education classes in schools.

Children are full of an enviable amount of energy, and in the popular Istrian city of Pula, an idea that is totally unique in Croatia has come to the minds of those wanting to harness the mild climate and create what is being described as an outdoor, forest kindergarten.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 28th of December, 2018, grazed knees, muddy clothes, jumping around in ponds, climbing the trees, cold, rosy cheeks and smiling faces are everything that should be expected of a child, and Pula has come up with an innovative idea to harness childrens' curiosity for the outdoors, an idea entirely unique in Croatia.

As Glas Istre reports, the vision is that of a happy early childhood spent a unique ''forest kindergarten'' which is an idea that should come to life during springtime in Pula. The conceptual initiator of this unique idea is psychologist and certified nanny Francesca Miličević, who is herself a mother of a two-year-old child.

When asked how she came to the idea of ​​opening a kindergarten where most of the time children would stay outside, she said that she had observed how it's done in Scandinavian countries, and that she united various pedagogical systems, as well as permaculture, ecology, and of course, spirituality.

''The Kindergarten is being created in cooperation with the Heartface association and another specialist organisation, and the process of leasing a part of the forest at Veli vrh from Croatian Forests (Hrvatske Šume) is already underway,'' stated Milićević, explaining that this kindergarten will receive children from ages threee to six, and the idea is unique in Croatia as it will differ from the classic type of kindergarten in that the emphasis will be placed primarily on the children spending more time out in the open, enjoying nature, regardless of the weather conditions.

''We're blessed with the climate, it's the end of December, and outside there is beautiful sunshine. These kind of kindergartens are common in countries where the winter is extremely cold, so getting too cold isn't something that really needs to be feared. Indeed, scientific research proves that children who spend more time outdoors, in the fresh air, are healthier than those who spend more time in confined spaces,'' says the kickstarter of this kindergarten which will be one of a kind, and unique in Croatia.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more.

Šibenik is the place to be for the youngest members of our families!