IDB and PepsiCo Foundation Launch Innovative Program to Prevent Undernutrition and Obesity in Latin American Infants

Thursday, October 16, 2014

On the eve of World Food Day, the IDB and the PepsiCo Foundation announce $5 million grant for nutrition program to help children in Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico and Peru

Today, on the eve of World Food Day, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the PepsiCo Foundation launched Sustained Program to Improve Nutrition (Spoon), a five-year program designed to simultaneously prevent undernutrition and reduce the risk of obesity in babies living in poor areas of Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico and Peru. Paradoxically undernutrition and obesity are interrelated conditions. Spoon is the first regional project of its kind that will address both challenges in tandem. Studies have demonstrated that weight and height in the first two years of life play a critical role in a child’s future growth and in the prevention of lifelong obesity.

IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno and PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi unveiled the new program this morning at an event in Washington, D.C., and the leaders spoke about the importance of working together on strategies to alleviate the undernutrition and obesity that affects millions of poor households across Latin America. Moreno and Nooyi were joined by health authorities from participating countries and partner organizations, including technical advisor the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Nutriset, at the signing of the collaboration agreement for the future work.

Source: Inter-American Development Bank (link opens in a new window)

Categories
Health Care
Tags
nutrition, public health