[365days: Day 46] [02.15] Obesity in Mexico
Oh, PETA, PETA *shakes head sadly*
So, Mexico has a problem with obesity. It is not new news exactly: in 2008, a governmental campaign named "Vamos por un millón de kilos" promoted weight loss among the people served by the public health system. The campaign's name then changed to "Vamos por más kilos" (link goes to the official site, in Spanish), after the goal of a million kilos in weight loss was accomplished.
On January 31, 2010 the campaign was again revamped, and this time the focus moved into the public schools system. As no law has been changed and thus fast food, junk food and snacks can't be legally banned from schools, the strategy centers in providing the students with information about healthy food and healthy life-styles. For example, the UNAM (Mexico's main University) has made a block of three-hours a day of physical activities mandatory for all its students, academics and administrative personnel -- and is doing this by providing free sports and dance classes on the public spaces and kicking the students out of their classrooms :D.
So, enters PETA. Its advice? Stop eating meat, eggs and dairy products. Declare a "Monday without Meat" in all public schools (they even proudly reproduce the letter they sent to Mexico's President). Well, PETA, let me tell you: meat and its byproducts are barely a part of most of Mexicans diet -- specially among the poor and middle class. Most children in the public school system are lucky if they eat meat twice a week. It's the sugar, fat and flour, the soft drinks, the fried chips, the cookies and candies.
They are cheap -- meat is not.
This entry is also posted at DW.
So, Mexico has a problem with obesity. It is not new news exactly: in 2008, a governmental campaign named "Vamos por un millón de kilos" promoted weight loss among the people served by the public health system. The campaign's name then changed to "Vamos por más kilos" (link goes to the official site, in Spanish), after the goal of a million kilos in weight loss was accomplished.
On January 31, 2010 the campaign was again revamped, and this time the focus moved into the public schools system. As no law has been changed and thus fast food, junk food and snacks can't be legally banned from schools, the strategy centers in providing the students with information about healthy food and healthy life-styles. For example, the UNAM (Mexico's main University) has made a block of three-hours a day of physical activities mandatory for all its students, academics and administrative personnel -- and is doing this by providing free sports and dance classes on the public spaces and kicking the students out of their classrooms :D.
So, enters PETA. Its advice? Stop eating meat, eggs and dairy products. Declare a "Monday without Meat" in all public schools (they even proudly reproduce the letter they sent to Mexico's President). Well, PETA, let me tell you: meat and its byproducts are barely a part of most of Mexicans diet -- specially among the poor and middle class. Most children in the public school system are lucky if they eat meat twice a week. It's the sugar, fat and flour, the soft drinks, the fried chips, the cookies and candies.
They are cheap -- meat is not.
This entry is also posted at DW.