Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer, arterial hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, have become more and more common causes in Mexico. 200 thousand deaths only in 2022So, to stop them, civil unions project hope With the support of AztraZeneca, he created a philanthropic program called “Salad Joven”.
Its main objective is to raise awareness of the importance of prevention among children, adolescents and young people between the ages of 15 and 24. Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Reducing risk behaviors such as sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, smoking and other addictions.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 70 percent of premature deaths among adults are due to behaviors that begin in adolescence.
Therefore, this global initiative, which is carried out in several Latin American countries and received a favorable response in Mexico City, where it benefitted 39,000 students, has been expanded to Mexico and the state of Jalisco.
In the case of the Mexican entity, the municipality of Valle de Chalco was chosen because of socioeconomic conditions that favor risk situations.
lizbeth quezadaThe program coordinator explained that the project began in five upper secondary schools where a “facilitator” coaches other youth to replicate their knowledge through playful activities and games that help young people make better decisions about their health care. Can take ,
Diet, physical activity, and addiction prevention
The program integrates the following subjects: Diet, Physical Activity, Addiction Prevention and the Environment and lasts for six months.
“What the program wants us to do is to be aware of how to take care of ourselves, take care of our health starting with ourselves and also change the community and that has to do not only with the adolescents, but also in their environment, If we change our habits on an individual level, we can change our families”, explained Lourdes Quezada.
According to the WHO, Mexico ranks fifth in obesity, and according to the 2021 National Health and Nutrition Survey, 36.7 percent of the population lives with obesity, which is defined as a chronic disease process, and fatal for others. Conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiac accidents.
