President Piñera and First Lady relaunch Choose to Live Healthily program: “We will facilitate healthy living and promote a united country.”
The President and First Lady, accompanied by members of the President’s cabinet, presided over a large event aimed at promoting healthy living at Parque Renato Poblete.
President Sebastán Piñera participated in the relaunch of the “Choose to Live Healthily” program at the Parque Renato Poblete amphitheater in Quinta Normal. He was accompanied by First Lady Cecilia Morel and nearly all of the ministers and undersecretaries in his cabinet as well as the governor of the Metropolitan Region, the mayors of Santiago and Estación Central, local residents, families and athletes.
The purpose of the program is to promote healthy habits and lifestyles in order to improve quality of life.
“Today we have relaunched this effort with more energy than ever to help reduce the worrisome levels of obesity and sedentariness among our children, adults and seniors,” Cecilia Morel stated.
“We reached the conclusion that Chile needs a cultural change, something that comes from the soul. And, as Cecilia said, the wind was in our favor and the sky was clear, because the Choose to Live Healthily program won the hearts of the great majority of Chileans, and we made huge strides,” the President said.
The program, which was created by the First Lady in 2011, was restarted in order to make progress on a set of initiatives that will be overseen by various ministries.
“Choose to Live Healthily” has four key pillars: healthy eating, physical activity, outdoor activities and family life.
“These four pillars will help us make Chile a country of healthy people. You all know that you need a healthy body in order to have a healthy mind, and when there is a healthy body and a healthy mind, we are happier and live fuller lives,” the President said.
The initiative is central to the country’s development, given that the 2016-2017 Health Survey found that 74.2% of Chileans over the age of 15 are overweight, obese or morbidly obese.
“This is why kicking off this initiative with lots of energy and commitment will be the best decision that the immense majority of Chileans can make to live a better, fuller, happier life,” the President said.
Choose to Live Healthily is a program of the Ministry of Social Development. According to Minister Alfredo Moreno, “We have high rates of childhood obesity in Chile, and we have to take care of our children. The mission of this ministry is to promote this great initiative.” Alejandra Domper will serve as executive secretary of the initiative.