The aim of this proposal is to: The aim of this proposal is to develop and implement new multidisciplinary postgraduate course in Mexico, Latin America. This will be done with together with HEI’s in Mexico and in Europe, to build up the multidisciplinary expertise in higher education institutes to enhance future health care professionals’ demands in labor marker to meet the societal challenges i.e. child obesity and its effects to mental health. First we will map the landscape to get mutual understanding of health promoting activities including actions to increase physical activity, assessment of nutritional stage and scan the mental health promoting activities. Secondly we will develop the online post graduate course. Thirdly, we will train the trainers in Mexican HEI’s staff to increase their innovation pedagogical abilities. Lastly we will implement and evaluate the online post graduate course.

Background of the project:

In Latin America the childhood obesity rates that are among the highest in the world. As childhood obesity is a growing concern in all over the Latin America especially in Mexico, and while progress has been made to understand the association between multiple biological factors (i.e., genetics, nutrition, physical activity, etc.), we are lacking of knowledge on how health care professionals can support positive mental health while guiding obese child. There is evidence that childhood obesity negatively associated with psychological comorbidities, such as depression, poorer perceived lower scores on health-related quality of life, emotional and behavioral disorders, and self-esteem during childhood.

In recent studies done among medical and psychological students in Mexico showed that they are lacking of knowledge related to obesity and they are having negative attitude toward obesity and even phobias toward obese people. Therefore, we need to lay emphasis on educating future health care professionals in multidisciplinary way about the complex causes of obesity, familiarize the best practices to reduce childhood obesity and to rise up the concept of positive mental health in health promotion actions.

Expected Results:

As a long term result of our project, effective health promotion actions for child obesity is delivered and health professionals know how to support child mental health development. As a short term result, health care professionals will be trained for dealing this challenging issues.

Lead Users/End Users:

Lead users are academics in higher education institutes, the health care educators, professionals working in primary community settings in Mexico. End users are the teachers in higher education institutes and post graduate students in Mexico. This project will utilize wide group of associate partners such us health care organizations, health promotion organizations, primary schools, public associations etc.

Phases of Work:

1. Preparation

2. Mapping the landscape for mutual understanding of health and mental health promotion

3. Development of multidisciplinary online post graduate course

4. Training the trainers

5. Implementation and evaluation of post graduate course

6. Dissemination and exploitation

7. Quality Assurance

8. Management

Partners:

1. Turku University of Applied Science, Finland

2. Riga Technical University, Latvia

3. Partner three in Europe

5. University de la Salle, Mexico

6. Three other HEIs in Mexico

7. Two HEIs in Costa Rica

8. Two HEIs in Guatemala

Expected Budget: 1 million euro Duration: 36 Months