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Costa Rica launched the Dietary Guidelines to improve the health and nutrition of the population

The Ministry of Health, the Intersectoral Commission of Dietary Guidelines, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Mesoamerica Hunger-Free Program AMEXCID-FAO, launched the Dietary Guidelines for the adolescent and adult population in Costa Rica , with the aim of improving health and nutrition, in celebration of World Food Day and National Fruit and Vegetable Day.

The Dietary Guidelines Based on Food Systems for the adolescent and adult population (GABSA, for its spanish acronym) provide appropriate recommendations to consume varied, fresh and colorful foods, which allow improving the eating patterns and habits of people, according to their culture and the national context, social and economic.

Among the main diseases that affect the Costa Rican adult population are overweight and obesity, which reach 70.7%, as well as diabetes mellitus, which reaches 14.8%, according to data from the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS, for its spanish acronym). While the prevalence of cancer and cardiovascular diseases have also increased in recent years. These GABSA provide messages with a nutritional education orientation for the prevention of non-communicable diseases, inviting people to increase their consumption of national fruits and vegetables, as well as legumes such as beans, chickpeas and lentils.

Ana Katharina Müller Castro, Minister of Public Education, stated that the issue of food has been a priority and fundamental in this administration, which is why they activated surprise visits to educational centers, to ensure strict compliance with the balanced menu. “A well-nourished student is a happy person with a greater willingness to learn. The guides come to be a reinforcement to guide the work in the dining rooms”, said the minister.

The GABSA are aimed at the general population, taking into account the epidemiological profile of the country in recent decades, the political, social, economic and cultural factors, among others, of the food system, which influence the decisions of selection, purchase and consumption of people.

“Such traditional dishes from Costa Rica, such as gallo pinto, casado, pot of meat, pork tamal, among others, are part of our culinary heritage, and respond to eating habits resulting from social and economic processes that have defined the development of our peoples and our nation. Preserving these delicious dishes, which identify part of our intangible heritage, it is also important to value recent scientific knowledge, and take it into account to feed ourselves in a balanced way, eating products from the different food groups and from the different regions of the country, in search of a healthy, nutritious and balanced diet”, said Nayuribe Guadamuz Rosales, Minister of Culture and Youth.

These guides are the coordinated effort between different institutions working to improve nutrition in the country, such as the CCSS, the Costa Rican Institute for Nutrition and Health Research and Education (INCIENSA), the National Directorate of Education and Nutrition Centers and Comprehensive Care Centers for Children (CENCINAI), the University of Costa Rica (UCR), the Ministry of Public Education (MEP), the Ministry of Culture and Youth, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) and the SUN Movement (Scaling Up Nutrition).

“From the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock we participate in this valuable process and recognize the importance of continuing to work together with other public institutions and the private sector to achieve inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems that meet the food needs of the population, minimize environmental impact, strengthen the income generation of national producer families, and contribute to the economic revitalization of rural areas,” said Fernando Vargas, deputy minister of MAG.

In Costa Rica, World Food Day (WFD) and National Fruit and Vegetable Day were commemorated on October 13 and 14, with a call for solidarity and collective action by all sectors and institutions to ensure that no one is left behind through the transformation of agrifood systems and in favor of food and nutritional security for all people.

We invite you to access the new GABSA website to learn about food advice and recommendations for the adolescent and adult population; the site has different materials to download.

Web link: https://www.ministeriodesalud.go.cr/guiasalimentarias/gabsa/index.html

Text originally published on the website of the Ministry of Culture and Youth of Costa Rica: https: //mcj.go.cr/sala-de-prensa/noticias/costa-rica-lanzo-las-guias-alimentarias-para-mejorar-salud-y-nutricion-de