14% of the population in Mexico have diabetes; allegedly two out of three patients with diabetes are either overweight or obese. It is known that obesity and overweight prevalence is increasing especially in indigenous peoples e. Accordingly there is a need to take action in reducing obesity and overweight in such populations.ObjectiveIn collaboration with Xocén municipal authorities, this project aims at raising awareness of the health problems that lead to obesity. This project will address changing habits and new ideas to decrease obesity and use the results as a model for action to be taken within the many similar indigenous communities in Yucatán.
An assessment of obesity and diabetes in Xocén will be carried out to identify the factors that determine resistance and willingness to implement behavioural change. A doctor from the Xocén Health Centre and a nutritionist will jointly draft a questionnaire for a general survey of the entire town on health, dietary habits, obesity and diabetes. The survey will be targeting all age groups, and include blood glucose test for adults. It will be conducted at appropriate sites (schools, health centre, homes) with particular emphasis on schools. Furthermore, a local project implementation group will be established to prepare various educational and awareness material in Mayan language. This will include cooking and food guidance and recipes with focus on the revitalisation of traditional food and dishes.Exercise will be promoted to encourage the community in living a healthier lifestyle. Sport facilities will be improved and tournaments will be organised to get the people in Xocén to participate in different physical activities. Additionally, traditional plants and food recovery programme will be implemented, through roll-out of gardening activities and cooking workshops. This is done to ensure a more healthy diet that can be shared in all homes.Through these activities, this project strives to change the societal perspective concerning the ability to initiate a change in behaviour (incl. the revitalisation of traditional foods) and of a clinical perspectives including reductions in BMI (based on the pre/post survey data collection).
• Local project implementation group established with project co-ownership • Survey in schools, health centres and households conducted, reaching more than 200 families, and collecting BMI data of all school children in Xocen village• Awareness raising activities conducted, in particular at World Diabetes Day, involving the entire Xocen village population (2,600 inhabitants)• Demonstration gardens established to revitalise original food plants and crops• Cooking demonstration sessions held based on re-written original recipe books• Various physical activity sessions institutionalised in the Xocen community• Up to 100 patients with diabetes provided improved care and education at the local Xocen health centre, including laboratory tests• Various cultural activities supported including embroidery and production of tapestries as part of awareness raising on health lifestyle