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Page 76
conferenceseries.com
March 22-23, 2017 | Rome, Italy
2nd World Congress on
Public Health & Nutrition
Volume 7, Issue 1 (Suppl) J Community Med Health Educ 2017
ISSN: 2161-0711, JCMHE an open access journal Public Health 2017
March 22-23, 2017
ECONOMYWIDE IMPACTOFHEALTHYDIETANDNUTRITIONALREQUIREMENTINMEXICO
Kakali Mukhopadhyaya and Paul J Thomassin
aMcGill University, Canada
Mexico is currently going through a nutrition transition. Mexicans are moving away from a traditional diet to a highly processed
diet making them particularly vulnerable to chronic disease. Trade liberalization plays a huge role in this regard. After NAFTA
had been implemented in 1994, the number of unhealthy food products from the United States to Mexico increased substantially.
According to FAO and the OECD, Mexico has one of the highest obesity rates in the world. According to a national nutrition survey,
Mexico is leading the world in childhood obesity with 30% under 15 years, 40.8% are overweight, over 15+, and 32.2% are obese,
placing the country's second in the world. The indigenous population suffers from a higher nutritional risk and the over 33 percent
chronic malnutrition rate for children under five. It is a central challenge for policymakers worldwide. The prevalence of nutrition-
related chronic disease would decrease by adopting “healthier diets” as recommended by the World Health Organization. Mexico's
Department of Nutrition and Health Promotion uses The Plate of Good Eating (includes vegetables and fruits; cereals; and legumes
and animal products) aims to provide recommendations for proper nutrition among the general population. Against this background,
it is urgent to assess the impact of adopting a healthy diet in Mexico following the guidelines set by the Health Department of Mexico.
The objective of the study is to calculate the macroeconomic impact of actual and recommended consumption of a healthy diet in
Mexico. It also estimates the actual and recommended nutritional requirements across different age groups. It is an integrated exercise
combining both Input-Output and Global CGE model. Finally, the study suggests some policy options to promote healthy eating for
preventing obesity and chronic diseases.
J Community Med Health Educ 2017, 7:1 (Suppl)
COMMUNITY HEALTHY LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS: THE IMPACT OF THE CAN DO
COMMUNITY PROGRAMME ON MENTALWELLBEING
Ruby R Gada
aImperial College London, UK
Background: In the current climate of obesity and its numerous associated risks, healthy lifestyle interventions are becoming
increasingly relevant. The Can Do Community Programme is an example of a resident-led, healthy lifestyle intervention to attain
public health outcomes. The programme provides organisational and financial support to individuals with a community project idea
targeting healthy nutrition or physical activity. Healthy lifestyle and mental wellbeing are inextricably linked such that changes in one
routinely reflect changes in the other. There is growing evidence that wellbeing correlates with increased life expectancy, as well as
primary and secondary prevention of illness, both physical and mental. The objective of this study is to explore community healthy
lifestyle interventions by assessing the impact of the Can Do Community Programme 2015-16 on mental wellbeing.
Methodology: The Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS), validated for monitoring population wellbeing,
was utilised. The minimum and maximum scores of the scale are 7 and 35 respectively. It was administered, alongside a demographic
capture questionnaire, to Can Do project participants at baseline and at follow-up. All responses received were subject to pre-specified
inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Findings: In total, 90 responses were used in the data analysis. Overall, the mean population SWEMWBS score increased from 23.9
(baseline) to 26 (follow-up). This increase was statistically significant, p<0.001, and remained true when the data was stratified by age
group as well as by gender.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that the Can Do Community Programme was successful in improving mental wellbeing. It is a
commendable example of a healthy lifestyle intervention. This study offers a valuable insight into the measure of wellbeing. Moreover,
it highlights the benefits of grass roots, community approach to improving nutrition and physical activity.