BIENESTAR

“Bienestar” is a program to prevent the pediatric obesity through good nutrition and physical activity in pre-school development centers. Through activities of the program, the teachers and their families encourage the boys and girls to have physical activity daily and a balanced diet containing the necessary nutrients as stipulated by the most recent scientific data. Eating healthy has a positive impact in health avoiding obesity. At the same time, we recognized the importance of the active play as a facilitator and to reach our goal of prevention of pediatric obesity among others physical and mental conditions.

Active play, which implies movement, is a primary activity in the growth and development of human beings.

Furthermore, the game stimulates learning and helps in the acquisition of social and emotional skills. The program consists in three areas:

• ‘NutriExperiencias’: 15 activities to stimulate the kids to eat more fruits and vegetables during their snack break.
• ‘Jugando y sudando’: 15 activities that include physical movement and the active play.
• ‘Familias Activas’: several activities and two educational talks to the families; one about the topic of nutrition and the other one about physical activity.

The teachers initially receive a workshop of implementation of the Program. Later on, they realize activities in their centers. We suggest that the activities in every strategy will be 3 times a week for a period of 5 to 6 weeks. Every center receives a guide of activities, equipment to do the activities and purchase voucher to buy fruits and vegetables. In addition, it receives technical assistance visits to validate that the proposed model is being followed. In this visits doubts are clarified, they make demonstrations with the kids and motivate the teachers to continue doing excellence services. And if it’s possible, the centers will have the opportunity to participate a day of games in families. At the end of the program, every center has to turn in a photographic portfolio showing the activities carried out and then, the teachers receive a certificate of participation.