FIFA interested in the Soccer for Health program in Mexico

• April 24, 2024

With the purpose of improving the quality of life of Mexicans, by reducing the overweight Y obesity of the people, the possibility of implementing the program in Mexico is contemplated Soccer for Health, launched by this organization during the recent World Cup in Africa.

In this regard, the federal health secretary, José Ángel Córdova Villalobos held a meeting with Jiri Dvorak , medical director of the International Federation of Football Federations (FIFA), who explained that since 1994 the pilot program of Soccer for Health, with the purpose of promoting this sport as an activity to improve health through physical activation and educating the population about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. He said that this program is based on scientific evidence, as evidenced by the nearly 207 articles published in scientific journals around the world. For example, in the study conducted by FIFA, where three population groups of children, young adults and people over 60 were selected, each was assigned a different activity per week. The first group played soccer twice for 45 minutes, the other group only ran for 45 minutes and a third group did only resistance exercise.

This, Dvorak added, resulted in the fact that after 3 months of regular soccer play, physical fitness indicators were improved, lowering blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Therefore, it is concluded that playing soccer twice a week for 45 minutes is the best prevention for any disease, such as diabetes , hypertension or Cancer , he stressed.

On the other hand, Justino Compeán , president of the Mexican Federation of Football Association (FEMEXFUT), emphasized that sporting events where the FIFA Program could be introduced Soccer for Health, would be through the U-17 Cup to be held in Mexico and the U-20 to be held in Colombia. This could be the start of the program with a view to the 2014 World Cup.

In addition, the project includes converting prominent international players into ambassadors of public health messages, which is why it is contemplated to invite national soccer figures. Compean, indicated that the Federal Health Secretariat (Ssa), in coordination with FEMEXFUT, launched the preventive campaigns against the breast cancer Y childhood obesity , in the latter said during the 36 games played in the month of April were distributed about 10 thousand bracelets between players and fans, and 9 thousand waist measurements were made. The head of FEMEXFUT, highlighted the success of the campaign against childhood obesity in the football stadiums, since last April, the message was taken to 414 million people through the different mass media.

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