For the Promotion of Health in Schools through Sport
Over 15,000 children are participating in the food education project promoted as part of the “Movimento in 3S – Promozione della salute attraverso lo Sport” (3S Movement – Health Promotion through Sport) of the CONI Regional Committee FVG,created by the Fondazione Italiana Fegato together withUniversity Pediatric Hospital Burlo Garofalo of Triestewith the support of the Department of Education of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.
“There are 87 comprehensive institutes participating in the school year 2023-2024 project” – says the project manager of the Movimento in 3S project, Rita Malavolta, , thanking the teachers of the schools involved thanks to whom it is possible to actively carry out the project within the classes – “of which 8 in Gorizia, 26 in Pordenone, 40 in Udine, 16 in Trieste, totally 772 classes involved".”.
”The food education project, coordinated by the Scientific Director of the Fondazione Italiana Fegato, Claudio Tiribelli and created by the senior scientist Natalia Rosso, with the collaboration of the Burlo Garofolo nutritionists Grazia Di Leo and Chiara Zanchiis developed with educational material sent to the schools, consisting of games and related instructions. The activities have been designed to be carried out in small groups of children, each equipped with a kit.
“Our playful-educational approach,” explains Natalia Rosso, “aims to provide children with the skills needed to make informed and healthy decisions, thus creating a solid foundation for their future. We suggest a constructive approach, especially at the beginning, reflecting on the importance of healthy foods. We would like to emphasize that a balanced diet is not just about weight control, but also about maintaining a healthy body that is immune to disease.”
Obesity, even in children, is not simply the result of a lack of willpower; rather, it is caused by various factors (psychological, metabolic, etc.) that converge in this “phenotype”. “Stigmatizing obesity” – concludes Natalia Rosso – “does not contribute to change and can even worsen the situation: therefore, our activities aim to highlight the impact of nutrition on health, going beyond the issue of body weight alone”.
To ensure the continuity of the project, it is essential to understand the effectiveness of the proposed activities and therefore two evaluation questionnaires have been prepared, available online, to be filled in before the start of the activities (or, if already started, after the first experiences) and at the end of the school year.
