The project "Por una comida sana, tú decides", promoted by researchers at the University of Navarra and the Clínica Universidad de Navarrahas been awardedthe first award Strategy for Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Prevention (NAOS) in the Workplace.

internship This award, which is awarded by the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality through the Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition (AECOSAN), recognizes initiatives that promote healthy eating habits and regular physical activity among the center's employees at work.

This initiative, funded by the Mapfre Foundation, was started in 2011 by a team multidisciplinary of two doctors from the area of Medicine of the work, two professors and two dieticians-nutritionists from the Departments of Food Science and Physiology and Preventive Medicine and Public Health. Its goal is to promote healthy lifestyle habits among students and employees of the University of Navarra through three strategies: educational actions, personalized health promotion in the medical enquiry and accreditation of catering services that offer healthy food options within the academic center.

The award obtained, among the 140 projects presented in the different categories, is for Alejandro Fernández Montero (researcher principal), "an excellent impetus to continue with the implementation of new activities in the other branches of the University in Spain". He also points out that the award "encourages us to continue working along the same lines and renew our commitment to ensure that the project lasts over time, consolidating itself as an 'active and living' program".

"Por una comida sana, tú decides" also won in 2013 the first runner-up prize in the VI NAOS Strategy Awards in the workplace, and the award Azul a la Promoción de la Salud en el work (Mutua Navarra).

Successful actions

After the first year of life of project, about 40% of workers "believe that the campaign has served to improve their diet, when they go to cafeterias or university dining hall", according to a assessment prepared by the team researcher.

Among the actions implemented were the creation of a web page and a forum for consulting doctors and dieticians-nutritionists; the preparation of a decalogue, which was endorsed by the cafeterias and canteens of campus; the organization of workshops to teach healthy eating; and the setting up of a tent, on the occasion of the university's Sports Day, where two nutritionists offered dietary advice and distributed more than 500 pieces of fruit and 30 kilos of dried fruit free of charge.

The last actions carried out consisted of signaling the Degree of adherence to the Mediterranean per diem expenses , in the menus and dishes of the establishments participating in the campaign, adding healthy foods and beverages to the offer of the vending machines of campus, elaborating a catering with a high adherence to the Mediterranean per diem expenses and celebrating the"University of Navarra Healthy Eating Day".

At present, the cafeterias and canteens of campus in Navarra and food companies such as Autobar or ALDI are collaborating in the campaign.