I Choose Healthy!
CASA has unrolled a proactive two-year campaign to increase awareness and practice of good nutrition and healthy lifestyles. I Choose Healthy will be incorporated into CASA’s long-standing and successful network of community-based education and health programs, outreaching marginal neighborhoods and rural villages. Two interactive tools - a play and radio drama series - will be produced by trained adolescent teams and student midwives, together with community members, and health professionals.
A 30-minute play using puppet characters will be performed for elementary and junior high school-age children, parents and teachers, presenting information about the nutritional needs of infants and young children in terms of vitamins and minerals, major food groups and appropriate quantities. Research shows that working directly with children and adolescents, and utilizing a whole health model rather than “dieting,” results in the greatest success. The 12- part radio novella series will focus more on gender roles, importance of early good nutrition, including breast-feeding; nutrition & exercise during pregnancy, and diseases such as gestational diabetes. The captive audience will also be able to hear about CASA’s prenatal counseling and breast-feeding support services.
How you can help:
$50,000 for the 2 year projected program costs.
$5,000 to conduct the monitoring surveys and evaluations.
$50 to make one puppet for the children’s performances.
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What we are working against:
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Mexico ranks as the second fattest nation in the world.
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Obesity among Mexican children 5 to 11 years old has risen 40% since 2000.
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Mexico has one of the highest consumptions of soft drinks in the world.
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Malnutrition persists, especially in infants, children and women.
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