Context

Balanced and nutritious eating is fundamental for the health and physical well-being of all of us. It provides us with the energy we need to carry out our daily activities, as well as helping our bodies to grow, repair, and fight diseases. However, we do not always eat the right things or in the right amounts. This can lead to a variety of eating disorders, such as obesity, malnutrition, and eating disorders.

Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, are serious illnesses that affect how a person eats and deals with food. They can be caused by many factors, including social pressures, biology, and psychology. Nutritional education is a powerful tool to prevent these disorders.

Healthy eating is essential for good health and well-being. However, unhealthy eating patterns are increasing worldwide and contributing to the global burden of diseases. For example, diets low in fruits, vegetables, and fiber, and high in energy, sugar, salt, and saturated fat contribute to obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and some types of cancer. In these circumstances, it is essential that students understand the importance of healthy eating in maintaining health and preventing diseases.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: "Healthy Menu and the Maze of Eating Disorders"

Project Objective:

1. Learn to organize a balanced menu based on food groups, considering nutrients and calories.
2. Recognize and discuss the occurrence of nutritional disorders, such as obesity, malnutrition, and eating disorders.
3. Develop teamwork skills, time management, communication, problem-solving, and creative thinking.

Detailed Project Description:

Students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5, and each group will be responsible for creating a "Healthy Menu" and an "Eating Disorders Maze." Each project should take between five to ten hours per student to complete and has a one-month deadline.

Healthy Menu:

The "Healthy Menu" should be a one-week menu with balanced meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This menu should take into account food groups, nutritional needs, as well as the calories required for a person of the students' age.

Each meal should be detailed with ingredients, portions, and nutritional value. The menu should be illustrated and presented in an attractive way.

Eating Disorders Maze:

Students will also create an "Eating Disorders Maze," which will be an educational game about eating disorders. The goal of the game is to reach the end of the maze by choosing the path that leads to a healthy life.

Along the way, players will encounter challenges related to eating disorders, such as obesity, anorexia, bulimia, and malnutrition. Each challenge should contain an explanation of the disorder, its causes, consequences, and prevention methods.

Required Materials:

• Cardboard or poster board
• Colored pens
• Research resources (books, internet)
• Glue
• Scissors

Step by Step:

1. Form groups of 3 to 5 students.

2. Research food groups, nutritional needs, and calories.

3. Create a one-week "Healthy Menu" based on the research.

4. Research eating disorders, their causes, consequences, and prevention.

5. Design and build the "Eating Disorders Maze" based on the research.

6. Review and improve the group's work.

7. Prepare a presentation for the class on the "Healthy Menu" and the "Eating Disorders Maze."

8. Present the project to the class on a set date.

Project Deliverables:

After completing the practical activity, each group must produce a written report. The report should be divided into introduction, development, conclusions, and bibliography, and connected to the activities carried out during the project.

• Introduction: Should contextualize the theme of eating and eating disorders, its relevance and real-world application, as well as the project's objective.

• Development: Should explain the theory behind organizing the menu and eating disorders, describe in detail the activity carried out, the methodology used, and the results obtained.

• Conclusions: Should conclude the work by summarizing its main points, explaining the learnings obtained, and drawing conclusions about the project.

• Bibliography: Should indicate the sources used to work on the project such as books, web pages, videos, etc.

At the end of the project, students will have acquired knowledge about the importance of balanced eating and the impacts of eating disorders on health. They will also have developed important skills such as teamwork, time management, problem-solving, and creativity.