It takes a village to promote children's nutrition & food education: 'eat well, grow happy' pilot case study

According to the latest data from the COSI Portugal study (Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative), one in three children is overweight, a figure that increased by 2.2 percent in 2022. Despite political initiatives, 12 to 14% of children between the ages of 5 and 18 have high blood pressure, due, among other things, to an unbalanced diet, according to the Portuguese Society of Hypertension. Food and health are inseparable pillars, requiring effective communication to achieve positive outcomes. Health Communication involves strategies to inform and influence decisions to promote health (Maibach & Parrott, 2021). Besides, food education and information are essential for community projects (Graça et al., 2014), and the cultural, social, economic, ethical, and psychological context reinforces the interdisciplinary nature of Health Communication (Kreps & Thornton, 2020). Food literacy initiatives empower the community to make informed decisions, exercising freedom in a democracy. From a theoretical perspective, Public Communication should also be highlighted as a process that mediates political bodies and citizens (Hänska, 2019), and as the sharing of publicly useful information, for which public institutions are responsible. Public Communication is key to changing behavior, and influencing collective choices, as values, interests, or attitudes (Zémur, 2008 apud Bessières, 2009; Hänska, 2019). Using the case study methodology (Yin, 2014), this article aims to present a food education project, integrating different areas of knowledge (nutrition, education, and communication) and educational spaces (school and community), highlighting individual and group empowerment with effective communication strategies. "Eat Well, Grow Happy" is promoted by the Viseu-Dão-Lafões Intermunicipal Community and focuses on food literacy and education for preschool and elementary school students. This pilot project involved 13 schools, 279 children, 14 teachers, and 13 classes in 78 educational activities. There were 6 webinars, 12 educational scripts exploring 6 local foods, and 13 school initiatives.