The Minister of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare, María Luisa Carcedo, has advanced that she works together with the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training for education and health promotion in school. Both ministries have signed an agreement with the objective of developing a Strategic Plan for School Health and Healthy Lifestyles.
According to the latest Aladdin Study, almost one in five children between 6 and 9 years old is obese and more than 40% are overweight. Minister Carcedo has stressed that this fact leads, in the case of children, as in the case of older children, "a greater probability of suffering from type 2 diabetes, asthma, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases." In addition, "these children are more likely to miss school, are 13% less likely to get good school results and up to three times more likely to suffer bullying."
María Luisa Carcedo has also indicated that there are numerous studies that show the relationship between the level of income of the family and the overweight of the child population: "As recorded in a report of the High Commissioner for the fight against child poverty, just over 10% of the population between 4 and 14 years old is obese, rising to almost 16% in families with less income. "
In this line, he pointed out that "the consumption of healthy foods is more frequent in families with higher income levels, with 67% of children who make a daily consumption of fruits compared to 51% of children living in families of lower income. " In addition, the latter consume more sugary drinks, 19% versus 3.8%, and are more sedentary, 23.3% versus 8.6%.
"Given this epidemic, we have to act with more energy and in a more coordinated way with a multisectoral and comprehensive action of the environments, where it is easier to have healthy lifestyles," said the minister.
The minister recalled that physical activity has an important positive impact on physical and mental health, "strengthening self-esteem and self-perception, indicators that act as protective factors against depression, the development of obesity and various behaviors of risk such as substance use and violence. "
Carcedo stressed that more than half of the Spanish adult population is overweight and that obesity is a major public health problem that carries high economic, social and health costs: "According to a study published by the OECD, the Spanish live on average 2.6 years less due to overweight and reduces GDP by almost 3% due to associated health spending as labor production falls. "
Lines of work
Carcedo has explained the initiatives that are being carried out within the framework of the Strategy for Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Prevention (NAOS) : "We are in the process of implementing and evaluating the Collaboration Plan for companies in the improvement of food and beverages and other 2020 measures that imply the reduction of fat, salt and sugar content."
Work is also being done on a standard to guarantee the promotion of a healthy and sustainable diet in educational centers and other centers dependent on Public Administrations that establish criteria of nutritional quality and sustainability in the specifications of technical prescriptions that guide the hiring, acquisition and Food and beverage offer.
Another line of action, together with Social Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, is the improvement of the nutritional quality of the meals distributed through the Food Aid Program to the most disadvantaged. And finally, work is being done to improve the advertising of food and beverages aimed at children under fifteen.
XII NAOS Strategy Awards
The prizes awarded to the projects presented in this XII edition have been:
- Award for the promotion of healthy eating in the family and community: Project "Feeding your health in a sustainable way. Promotion of healthy and sustainable eating in the university community", of the Unit of the Balearic Islands
- Extra Prize for the promotion of the practice of physical activity in the family and community environment: Project: "Borriana Local Strategic Plan for the promotion of physical and sports activities at school age" Pla Pati "2014-2020", of the City Council of Borriana Valencian Community
- Prize for the promotion of healthy eating in the school environment Project: "Sabor de Vivir", from the Hurchillo Public School "Manuel Riquelme". Valencian Community
- Prize for the promotion of the practice of physical activity in the school environment: Project "Healthy and Happy", of the Learning Community Center for Early Childhood and Primary Education (CEIP) Secondary Section (SES). Adult classroom (AA) La Paz de Albacete. Neighborhood of La Milagrosa. Castilla la Mancha
- Prize in the health field: Project "Additional effect of physical exercise on non-alcoholic liver steatosis, adiposity and cardiovascular risk factors in overweight pre-adolescent boys and girls participating in a family education program in healthy lifestyles ; EFIGRO project ", from the Public University of Navarra. Foral Community of Navarra
- Prize in the workplace. Project "Red Eléctrica, Empresa Saludable", of the Department of Healthy Company (Red Eléctrica) and the GENUD Toledo Research Group (University of Castilla-La Mancha). Madrid's community.
- Entrepreneurship Award: Eroski "Ekilibria" Project. Basque Country
- Special recognition award: To Mr. Pau Gasol and Mr. Marc Gasol