Obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges. Obesity, as well as associated diseases, are largely preventable if acted upon from childhood. Preventing childhood obesity is therefore a priority.

 Aims and objectives:

The “Granny's Health Bag. Healthy traditions for healthy children” initiative was launched in Iasi (Romania) in 2012. It is a community-based program to encourage healthy behaviours via the promotion of cultural traditions, this includes campaigns in kindergartens and schools to encourage healthy behaviours in children and original educational resources based on scientific evidence.

The main learning tool is the “Health Bag”. Children learn about the elements of a healthy lifestyle helped by a magic bag, namely “Granny’s Health Bag”. Illustrated with folk tale characters (the goat, the three kids, the bad wolf, etc.); children learn to recognise what is good and what is bad for their health.

 Method:

• training courses for teachers to teach the 2020-2021 optional course "Granny’s Health Bag";
• information campaigns - for example, the campaign “Body rhythms: traditions and health”, in which 20,000 children from Iași County participated;
• workshops for children, parents and teachers;
• introducing in schools the optional discipline of healthy lifestyle training which, in September 2020, led to the enrolment of 4,000 children aged between 5 and 10 years;
• development of teaching materials for the training of healthy behaviours in children;
• the conference "Prevention of childhood obesity", which is organised annually in Iasi, was last held in June 2021, and focused on "Childhood obesity during Covid-19 - the evolution of family habits". The conference took place online and had speakers from 10 countries.

 Added value / Outcome:

The initiative targets children from 3-11 years and their families and has benefitted 100,000 children. In 2021, the prevalence of childhood obesity has decreased from 11% to 7% in the city of Iași. 

There has been considerable international recognition of the initiative, notably:

• it is part of the international networks for the prevention of obesity among children – EPODE (Ensemble Prévenons l'Obésité Des Enfants) International Network and Youth Health Community;
• at the Global Obesity Forum (New York, 2012), it was awarded the first prize for the best childhood obesity prevention activity;
• it was awarded by the European Community with the first prize – the 2020 EU Health Award- category Healthy Lifestyle Cities for the best initiative at the level of community (Iași city) to promote healthy lifestyles.

  Granny's Health Bag. Healthy traditions for healthy children