Program to advise the Mexican population
on feeding habits
Introduction
and purpose
In 1997 the Nestlé Nutrition Fund (NNF) identified obesity
and its principal comorbilities: diabetes mellitus, arterial
hypertension, and dyslipidemia as health problems in Mexico.
Because they are multideterminate phenomena, it is difficult
to attribute such problems to a single factor. However, the
literature reports that an energy rich diet, added to a sedentary
lifestyle, are factors that play an important etiological role
in the epidemiology of these conditions. Some of these risk
factors can be modified through a dietary orientation program.
For this reason, one of the NNF’s goals is to promote
applied scientific research to promote better dietary habits
and physical activity.
The first
experience with the program took place in Yucatan, a state whose
population presents clearly defined social and cultural patterns.
There are data that confirm high indices of obesity, diabetes
mellitus, and dyslipidemia in the state. On the other hand,
recent vital statistics indicate that heart and cerebrovascular
diseases are in first and third place respectively as causes
of death in Yucatecan adults. These diseases may be caused,
on the one hand, by the fact that local dietary habits favor
a high intake of energy and saturated fats, and on the other
hand by a tendency to limited physical activity; moreover, it
is possible that such conditions are exacerbated by a conditioning
factor in the genetic structure of the population.
in response
to these circumstances, in the NNF launched a program to investigate
the determinants of these health issues in Yucatan. The first
action was to identify the epidemiology of obesity and its comorbilities
in the urban and rural population, and the associated patterns
of physical activity and dietary habits. In the light of these
studies, the NNF went ahead with the program’s second
phase, which consisted of developing the prevention program
Nutre y mueve tu vida (Nourish and move your life), which promotes
greater consumption of fruits and vegetables and a more physically
active lifestyle.
The Mexican Health Foundation (FUNSALUD) has an affiliate called
El Capítulo Peninsular (The Peninsular Chapter). It is
made up of a President, Fernando Ponce Garcia, and a Medical
Director, Dr. Lizardo Vargas Arcona. The Chapter coordinates
the efforts of Yucatecan businessmen and scientists to promote
better health habits among the state’s inhabitants.
Fundación
Azucorazon, A.C., in coordination with The Peninsular Chapter
and the NNF, is working to develop the program Nutre y mueve
tu vida (Nourish and move your life). Nestlé Mexico,
S.A. de C.V., besides sponsoring the Nestle Nutrition Fund,
has contributed with its experience in market research and provided
partial funding to retain the services of two firms specialized
in the field.
Achievements
- Demographic
and epidemiological research.
- Qualitative
research (focal groups) on the nourishing habits of the urban
population of Mérida, Yucatán, carried out in
1996.
- Semi-quantitative
research on the nourishment habits of the urban population
of Mérida, Yucatán, carried out in 1996.
- Semi-quantitative
research on physical activity patterns of the urban population
of Mérida, Yucatán, carried out in 1996.
- Clinic
research on the prevalence of hypertension, obesity, dislipidemy,
and diabetes mellitus among the urban population of Mérida,
Yucatán, carried out in 1997. Obesity and cultural
environment in the Yucatán region. Dr.
Pedro Arroyo; Nut. Jeanette Pardío; ESP. Victoria Fernández
; Dr. Lizardo Vargas- Ancona. Nutrition Reviews 1999;57:s78-s83.
- "Cuadernos
de Nutrición" (Nutrition Notebooks) special number:
"Yucatán: Alimentación y Salud" (Yucatán:
Nourishment and Health). Shows the main results of the first
four research studies mentioned above. The presentation of
the special number took place in Mérida, Yucatán
in 1998. Yucatán: Alimentación y salud. Cuadernos
de Nutrición 1998;21:5-75.
- International
workshop on social marketing, held in 1999. The purpose of
the workshop was to exchange opinions and experience with
international experts on social marketing methods applicable
to nutrition and health orientation.
- Video:
"Yucatán: alimentación y salud" (Yucatán:
nourishment and health). This was the first material developed
for the nourishment orientation program. It contains the program's
main messages.
- Clinic
and genetic research, as well as studies on the nourishing
habits and physical activity patterns, in two rural communities
of Yucatán within the municipalities of Maxcanú
and Motul, carried out in August-September 2000.
- "For
a proudly healthy hearth": Yucatecan Guide to prevent
heart disease. This is the second produced material as
a strategy to promote the Program. It describes the importance
of feeding ourselves correctly and do regular exercise to
prevent heart diseases. It also seeks to encourage public
and private institutions, as well as people with a philanthropic
vocation, to join the program
- Development
of the dietary orientation program Nutre y mueve tu vida (Nourish
and move your life), which has reported the following accomplishments:
- 2004
• Development of the pilot program Nutre y mueve tu
vida (Nourish and move your life) in the community of San
Jose Tecoh, Merida, Yucatan.
• Clinical research to investigate the epidemiology
of obesity and its principal comorbilities: diabetes mellitus,
arterial hypertension, and dyslipidemia in 30 employees of
the Donde bakery, 235 employees of the newspaper Diario de
Yucatán, and visitors to two malls (Gran Plaza and
Plaza las Americas).
•
Presentations of the program Nutre y mueve tu vida (Nourish
and move your life) for various public and private institutions.
• Airtime on a local television channel (channel 2)
every Monday to promote the program.
• Radio airtime to promote the program’s messages.
• Production of the play “El sueño de Ribicunda”
(Ribicunda’s Dream), which has been performed at the
Felipe Carrillo Puerto theatre at the Autonomous University
of Yucatan, among other venues.
•
Nutre
y mueve tu vida (Nourish and move your life) walkathon. The
first Nutre y mueve tu vida (Nourish and move your life) walkathon
was organized, in coordination with the Yucatan Sports Institute
and the sporting goods chain Marti, on the main avenue of
the city of Merida (Paseo Montejo). Attendees participated
in raffles for bicycles, water bottles, trips to Puerto Escondido,
Oaxaca, Tehuacan, and Puebla, and discount coupons for products
at the sporting goods store Marti.
• Participation in the First Fruit, Vegetables, and Fish Fair,
held in the Ek-Balam Room at the Siglo XXI Convention Center
in Merida, Yucatan.
- 2005
• Participation with an allegorical float in
the Merida Carnival.
• Interviews on the television show Nutre y
mueve tu vida (Nourish and move your life), which airs every
Monday on channel 2 (local).
• Weekly interviews on a local radio station.
• Organization of school contests in coordination with
the newspaper Diario de Yucatán as part of the school
program Diario en la escuela (Newspaper at school) in which
55 schools participate.
• Participation in the Second Fruit, Vegetables, and
Fish Fair.
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