In 2006, Nestlé launched the Nutrimóvil programme to promote healthy lifestyles among the Chilean population. During that first year, more than 10'000 people were evaluated within the country. The collected information was used in a published report about the general nutritional condition of Chileans that was shared with the Health authorities and specialists.
In 2007, again Nutrimóvil evaluated the Chilean population but this time with a main focus on children. More than 20'000 evaluations were conducted - exclusively on children of 6-18 years of age - while also educating them on healthy lifestyles.
This initiative counted on the support of the Deputy Secretary of the Chilean Health Ministry, who acknowledged its positive contribution to the promotion and increase of physical activity in Chile.
Above: Nutrimovil 2007. Pablo Rodríguez, Vice President of Medical School, Fernando del Solar, Market Head, Lydia Amarales, Deputy Secretary of health Ministry, Helia Molina, Head of Public Policies of Ministry of Health.
In 2008, the project developped a new scope: a 4-year intervention programme for children of the Puente Alto Community, focusing on the reduction of obesity through nutritional education and physical activity using a fun learning approach. 1'800 school children from Puente Alto between 6 and 10 years old were committed to the programme. Additionally, the programme considers nutritional education for parents and teachers.
The project’s aim is to reduce children’s obesity rates, which are astonishingly high in Chile. By 2012, the project aims to play a strong contribution to the implementation of an increased number of physical activity classes in schools and, in turn, to a decrease in children's obesity rates.
In 2009, the Nutrimóvil carried out a summer route along the main cities where many Chileans spend summer holidays, to promote the adoption of healthy lifestyles. In the meantime, all of the information gathered was analysed by INTA (Instituto de Tecnología de los Alimentos of the University of Chile) - providing an interesting insight into dietary habit trends among the Chileans who took part in the programme:
- More than 75% regularly have breakfast, reverting the historic trend of Chileans rarely having breakfast.
- The frequency of consumption of dairy products among both women and men is of once a day - which by far does not fulfill the recommended 3 times a day.
- Chilean women tend to reduce physical activity during the summer vacation.