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In a move that will benefit the health of hundreds of thousands of people, the Congress of Mexico City—the 11th-largest city in the world—has approved a point of agreement that encourages public organizations to offer vegetable proteins in place of meat and eggs one day each week.
The approved document encourages different public organizations in Mexico City, such as the System for the Integral Development of the Family (DIF); the Secretariat of Inclusion and Social Welfare (SIBISO); and the Secretariat of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (SECITI), to consider implementing plant-based meals in their community kitchens one day a week. This measure is focused on combating childhood obesity, which affects more than 11 million children and teens in Mexico.
Mercy For Animals’ Conscious Eating program intends to use this collaboration agreement to get more institutions to commit to replacing 20 percent of animal protein served with plant protein. Deputy Miguel Angel Macedo Escartín, who proposed the measure after speaking with Dulce Kim, food policy specialist for Come Consciente (“Conscious Eating”), explained to the congress:
Childhood obesity is a serious health problem, since according to data from the UNICEF, Mexico ranks first in childhood obesity. … This problem must not be taken lightly. According to the OECD, it is estimated that in 2030, 40 percent of Mexican adults will be obese. … If these numbers don’t change, the incidence of chronic diseases will increase.
Public and private institutions have identified meat reduction programs as one of the most effective ways to improve public health, protect the environment, and conserve precious resources.
According to numerous health experts, a diet rich in vegetables, legumes, and other sources of plant-based protein is associated with lower rates of obesity, cholesterol, and hypertension, as well as a lower risk of cancer, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. In addition, meat reduction has a positive impact on the environment, since it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and the use of essential natural resources.
In 2018, thanks to an agreement in collaboration with Come Consciente, the Veracruz Ministry of Education committed to serving vegan meals every Monday in its school cafeterias. This is equivalent to a total of 925,000 plant-based meals per year. The program is expected to reduce the rates of childhood obesity and malnutrition in that state, the second largest in Mexico.
Our Come Consciente program helps educational institutions, hospitals, and companies offer healthy and sustainable plant-based dishes in their dining rooms. Learn more.