Happy Bellies against Malnutrition – Chone, Ecuador

Key Insights

  • City initiatives to tackling Chronic Child Malnutrition (CCM)
  • Advocating for family gardens
  • Developing nutritional guidance to families

Summary

Happy bellies started in 2017 and is a strategic initiative combatting chronic child malnutrition (CCM). Spearheaded by the Municipal Government of Chone, Ecuador, in partnership with citizens, the FAO, the District Directorate of the Ministry of Health, private enterprises, and corporations. Within Ecuador, CCM affects a significant portion of children under the age of two, encompassing 1 in 3.  Chone is no exception, with the project’s baseline revealing that out of 530 participating children, 5% experience chronic malnutrition, 3% suffer from overall malnutrition, 3% grapple with acute malnutrition, 2% face obesity, and an additional 2% are dealing with overweight. The scope of CCM extends beyond food scarcity, encompassing inadequacies in both the quantity and quality of available nourishment.
The project’s objectives are geared toward fostering children’s growth by means of:
– offering a daily locally sourced snack
– providing nutritional guidance to families
– advocating for family gardens
– delivering comprehensive medical and dental care

To fulfil these goals, the project has initiated a pilot application in collaboration with communities residing in four underserved neighbourhoods.

 

Citation

Food Action Cities. (2023, September 5). Happy Bellies against Malnutrition – Chone, Ecuador.  Food Action Cities. https://foodactioncities.org/case-studies/happy-bellies-against-malnutrition–chone-ecuador

Photo: by Comms Wikimedia  through https://libguides.wintec.ac.nz/APA7/creative-commons-images

The action and its aims

The aim of this project is to decrease Chronic Child Malnutrition (CCM). 
The project’s objectives are geared toward fostering children’s growth by means of:
– offering a daily locally sourced snack
– providing nutritional guidance to families
– advocating for family gardens
– delivering comprehensive medical and dental care

When it was introduced

The project Happy Bellies was introduced in 2017 and is ongoing.

Why it was needed

Within Ecuador, Chronic Child Malnutrition affects a significant portion of children under the age of two, encompassing 1 in 3. Chone is no exception, with the project’s baseline revealing that out of 530 participating children, 5% experience chronic malnutrition, 3% suffer from overall malnutrition, 3% grapple with acute malnutrition, 2% face obesity, and an additional 2% are dealing with overweight.

Who initiated it, who is involved

Happy bellies is spearheaded by the Municipal Government of Chone, Ecuador, in partnership with citizens, the FAO, the District Directorate of the Ministry of Health, private enterprises, and corporations

Impacts to date

Within the project, a control group comprising 22 children was formed, exhibiting notable disparities in terms of height and weight growth. There has been successful progress with 5 children, who are now back on the normal growing curve.


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