A Community We Support: Salitrillo
Background
The Feed the Hungry San Miguel kitchen in the community of Salitrillo opened in 2017. During school year 2023-2024, 73 children in Pedro Moreno primaria (elementary school) will receive a hot, nutritious lunch every school day.
Location Statistics
Salitrillo is 11.3 kilometers northwest of central San Miguel de Allende. The most recent INEGI census (2020) reported a Salitrillo population of 393 men, women, and children, residing in 102 households. Only 62% of the homes had toilet or sanitary facilities in the home. Thirty-two percent of the residents were under the age of 14. Of the residents over 12 years old, 44% were economically active. The average level of schooling completed by adults was less than 7 years and 8% were illiterate.
Nutrition Report – School Year 2022-2023
For the latest Nutrition Report, staff nutritionists assessed 68 students in primaria through height, weight, and body fat measurements.
The number of underweight cases is relatively low because the problem of malnutrition leans more towards overweight or obesity. Most of the children with this diagnosis present similar clinical signs such as skin depigmentation, severe dental caries, dry hair, and dry skin. Of great concern are additional signs of acanthosis nigricans, since in addition to identifying excess weight and adiposity, it is also indicative of possible insulin resistance. This could lead to diabetes if not controlled in time, as well as other complications such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and triglycerides, hormonal disorders, or metabolic syndrome in children. These signs are usually caused by inadequate nutrition, such as consumption of foods high in trans fats and refined sugars and sweeteners, as well as poor personal hygiene.
Health Assessment Results
| Condition | Percentage of Students |
|---|---|
| Obese | 7% |
| Overweight | 19% |
| At risk of overweight | 13% |
| Normal | 59% |
| Light underweight | 1% |
| Moderate underweight | 0% |
| Severe underweigh | 0% |
Compared to the previous school year’s results, obesity decreased by 25.6%, and overweight increased. This is because the children who were obese dropped to overweight, and those who were overweight dropped to at-risk of overweight.
Adults often see their children leading a sedentary life and eating junk food, and consider it normal. We know that the actions of children are a reflection of the behavior of adults, and for this reason we offer a range of workshops for parents on hygiene, and healthy eating, and the importance of physical activity.
We have also developed cooking classes specifically for children, to help them learn about nutrition and meal preparation. At a “hands-on” workshop for the children at the Salitrillo school, they learn how to make fresh salads, fruit kabobs, cucumber with jicama pops, and more. These snacks have little or no sugar, and require little parental supervision to prepare. The principals are happy that the kids are learning these skills, since many parents are still at work when the kids return home after school.
Feed the Hungry San Miguel continues to work to improve the quality of life for the children through menus designed specifically for the students’ nutritional needs, education for their parents, and regular health assessments.
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