The project ‘Momentos Disfruta’, an initiative to promote health driven by the Ministry of Health and Consumption in collaboration with the Ministries of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development and Educational Development and Vocational Training, has already distributed over 1,000 kilos of healthy snacks in five Secondary Education institutes in the Aljarafe-Seville-North Health District.
After a year of piloting, this good practice from the ‘Schools4Health Project‘ has successfully integrated the promotion of healthy snacks during the breaks at Heliche, Jacaranda, Sotero Hernández, Atenea, and El Valle High Schools, creating comfortable and friendly environments for the students.
The initiative, named ‘Momentos Disfruta’ after a participatory process where the students from the five centers adapted the Belgian good practice to the Andalusian reality, is part of the European program ‘EU4Health‘. ‘Schools4Health’ aims to promote healthy lifestyles in the educational environment, based on the Health-Promoting Schools model.
The Minister of Health and Consumption, Rocío Hernández, stated that the initiative has generated a great interest among the schools from the beginning and that, one year later, this interest has not only been maintained but has significantly increased, consolidating the pilot as an enriching experience for the five participating institutes.
«From the start of the pilot on February 10th until April 9th, a total of 38 deliveries of healthy snacks have been made in the centers, distributing over 1,000 kilos of fresh products, mainly fruits and vegetables,» Hernández stated. The company Grupo MAS has been responsible for these deliveries, and in each institute, a group of students takes on the responsibility of preparing the healthy snacks and setting up the spaces for the rest of their classmates to enjoy these moments of relaxation in a healthy and pleasant way.
On the other hand, Minister María del Carmen Castillo highlighted that this program is another initiative from the Junta to promote healthy lifestyles in the educational environment. She explained that a balanced diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, quality proteins, and essential nutrients, not only prevents diseases like childhood obesity or diabetes but also improves concentration, memory, and academic performance.
Regarding public school cafeterias in Andalusia, the minister stated that the menus offered provide healthy, complete, and balanced nutrition, characterized by the daily presence of fresh vegetables and fruits, extra virgin olive oil, and a higher proportion of fish than meat, following the Mediterranean diet. She also mentioned that organic, seasonal, and locally sourced products are encouraged in the contracts with companies. This school year, it is expected that public school cafeterias will serve over 5.6 million kilos of these products in more than 20 million meals for the 211,000 daily users.
Similarly, the Director General of Industries, Innovation, and Agri-Food Chain, Cristina de Toro, emphasized the importance of promoting healthy lifestyles among young people through the consumption of snacks like fruits and vegetables.
In this sense, she stated, «In addition to promoting good nutrition, from the Ministry of Agriculture, we praise the excellence of Andalusia’s horticultural sector, which is very important at both national and international levels, known for its labels or the distinguished quality brand Gusto del Sur.»
A highlighted aspect of the project has been the collaboration of the municipalities, which have been responsible for setting up the spaces and installing the necessary equipment for the ‘Momentos Disfruta’ activities. Additionally, the significant contribution of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, which has actively collaborated and been involved in all phases of the program, providing the necessary equipment, is noteworthy.
To rigorously evaluate the process and impact of ‘Momentos Disfruta’, an initial evaluation was conducted through an online questionnaire completed by the participating students. This evaluation will be repeated at the end of the pilot. Furthermore, a final qualitative evaluation involving all stakeholders in the project is planned.
The information gathered through these evaluations will be crucial for the Health District to develop an action plan to strengthen identified areas of improvement during the pilot.
Pilot Phase
The pilot phase of ‘Momentos Disfruta’ takes place during the 2024-25 school year in five High Schools within the Aljarafe Sevilla North Health District of the Andalusian Health Service, with this district coordinating the project.
A group of students from each center will participate in the project, either in the preparation and offering of products in a comfortable space or as the target population. The activity will be offered at least once a week during the four-month program. For the development and monitoring of the project, five local committees have been created, one for each institute, and a technical committee in each health district area, with representatives from all involved parties.
The Andalusian Government participates as a partner in Schools4Health, through the Ministry of Health and Consumption, within the framework of the Healthy Living Promotion Strategy in Andalusia and the Comprehensive Plan for Childhood Obesity in Andalusia (PIOBIN), in collaboration with the Ministry of Educational Development and Vocational Training, under the CIMA Program, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, within the School Program for the Consumption of Fruits, Vegetables, and Milk.
This project also receives the collaboration of Grupo MAS through its ‘Raíces’ program, for the distribution of seasonal and locally sourced healthy foods.
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