President Bachelet: “Healthy can also mean tasty, nutritious and affordable”
Accompanied by the Social Development Minister, Marcos Barraza; the Health Minister, Carmen Castillo; the Economy Minister, Luis Felipe Céspedes, and the Mayor of Independencia, Gonzalo Durán, the President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, helped prepare a festive menu this morning at El Pino public market in the Santiago district of Independencia. The event was organized by the “Ruta Saludable” (Healthy Route) program, which promotes healthy eating and is part of the Elige Vivir Sano (Choose to Live Healthily) System. In addition to the festive menu, health professionals were on hand offering free nutritional tests to members of the public.
In her speech, President Bachelet emphasized that it is possible to eat well and healthily this Christmas: “here and in all of the public markets in Chile it is clear to see that healthy can also mean tasty, nutritious and affordable for families, who we know are financially stretched at this time of year.”
“Elige Vivir Sano” (Choose to Live Healthily) is a state policy created in 2013 with the aim of promoting healthy lifestyles and habits. The policy establishes that all public sector organizations involved in promoting healthy living must incorporate measures to inform, educate and encourage people in the prevention of risk factors and behaviors that are linked with non-transmissible diseases caused by unhealthy lifestyles and habits.
In this respect, President Michelle Bachelet’s Government has focused on working with communities, particularly within neighborhoods and schools. This approach gave rise to the “Ruta Saludable” (Healthy Route) program, which aims to engage the population in the fight against obesity. The program is especially aimed at school children aged 8 to 17 living in disadvantaged areas. The Confederation of Public Markets (ASOF), the National Syndicate of Public Market Organizers and the Lo Valledor Wholesale Market are also collaborating in this program.
President Bachelet stressed that “public Markets in this country are an excellent ally for good nutrition; they provide access to fresh produce and they are the most effective distributors of fruit and vegetables within urban areas.” She added that her Government has pledged to double the funding for the Technical Cooperation Service’s Public Market Development Fund, which was already over 50% higher this year than in 2014.
“More than 1.6 billion pesos (approx. US$2.3 million) have been spent, enabling public markets to be better prepared to face the challenges of modernization, either through training, learning better management skills, marketing, or through investments in new facilities, better stalls, more security, or better waste treatment,” she explained.
President Bachelet went on to highlight some of the other initiatives that are part of this healthy eating policy, such as the “Huertos Escolares” (Gardens for Schools) program, which provides schools with learning spaces for staff, students and parents. The program is now running in 296 schools in more than 100 districts throughout Chile where more than 70% of children live in vulnerable circumstances. Similarly, she mentioned the “Comunidades Saludables” (Healthy Communities) program, which was piloted in 2015, with a total of $156 million pesos given to municipalities to fund 27 initiatives nationwide; and the Sports Ministry’s “Calles Abiertas” (Open Streets) program, which allows people to enjoy car-free public spaces at weekends for cycling and other sports and leisure activities.
Looking ahead to 2016, the Elige Vivir Sano System aims to develop programs for babies, preschoolers and senior citizens; and continue incentivizing the production and offer of healthy products with funding from the Technical Cooperation Service (SERCOTEC), the Solidarity and Social Investment Fund (FOSIS) and the Agricultural Development Institute (INDAP). Similarly, it plans to create more spaces and infrastructure for physical exercise and further policies to promote active lifestyles, such as healthy pauses and active breaks.
Another key measure will be that as of June next year, any products containing higher than the recommended levels of sugar, salt, saturated fat and calories, will have to be labelled as “HIGH IN”, to clearly and accurately warn consumers.
In her closing remarks, President Bachelet wished those present a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and confirmed that in 2016 “we will continue doing everything we can to fulfil our promises and give our fellow Chileans greater opportunities.” She went on to explain: “so that Chile can have free, good quality education from preschool through to higher education; and better access to healthcare with more medicines and more specialists. So that our economy grows and there are more and better jobs for everyone; and hopefully the international outlook will more favorable to us than it has been this year.”