A Community We Support: Pozo de Balderas
Background
The Feed the Hungry San Miguel kitchen in Pozo de Balderas opened in 2007. During school year 2023-2024, meals are served every school day to 64 children at the Ricardo Flores Magon primaria (elementary) school and 19 children at the Narcisco Mendoza kinder (preschool). Purified water is also delivered to the schools for meal preparation and consumption by students and teachers.
Location Statistics
Pozo de Balderas is 34 kilometers from the Feed the Hungry Center. The most recent INEGI census (2020) reported a population of 493 men, women, and children, residing in 124 households. At that time, 33% of the residents were under the age of 14. Of the residents over 12 years old, 42% were employed. The average level of schooling completed by adults was 7 years, and more than 5% were illiterate.
Nutrition Report – School Year 2022-2023
For the latest Nutrition Report, staff nutritionists assessed 63 students in primaria and 16 students in kinder, through height, weight, and body fat measurements.
Primaria
At the primaria (elementary) school, noticeable changes have been identified since the health assessment done the previous school year. Currently the number of children with malnutrition has decreased, with only 2 cases of a 1st grade girl and a 4th grade girl. This change is due in part to the food offered in the dining room, since it is a hot meal with nutritional value.
With so many children overweight or close to that measure, it is important to prevent more cases. Their daily diets are low in fruits and vegetables, as well as foods of animal origin due to economic problems.
The children admit to a preference for products high in sugar, fat, and sodium, as well as drinks with artificial sweeteners. A sedentary lifestyle is also a factor. Clinical signs presented include dental caries, hyperkeratosis, dry hair and lips, and sunken eyes with marked dark circles.
Health Assessment Results
| Condition | Percentage of Primaria Students | Percentage of Kinder Students |
|---|---|---|
| Obese | 5% | 6% |
| Overweight | 7% | 13% |
| At risk of overweight | 16% | 19% |
| Normal | 65% | 56% |
| Light underweight | 3% | 6% |
| Moderate | 0% | 0% |
| Severe underweigh | 0% | 0% |
It will be necessary to keep this community in continually promote the consumption of foods with vitamins and minerals, and the consumption of protein. The main objective of the nutrition team will be to guide parents and children to have good eating habits and promote physical activity.
Kinder
At the kinder (preschool), the nutritional status is malnutrition, since cases of overweight and obesity represent 19% of the population, with another 19% at risk of overweight, and 6% lightly underweight. Our objective is to reduce the number of cases of obesity and overweight, improving their clinical signs and nutritional status through periodic changes in school menus, adapted to the needs of the community.
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