Social Sports Schools: Malnutrition Screening and Education via Soccer Camps
Overview:
Our team collaborated with the Real Madrid Foundation (RMF) to integrate nutrition education and screening into community sports programs. In partnership with ACMS and RMF, we trained 143 sports facilitators across 11 sites in nine countries, including Africa, Europe, Pacific Asia, Latin America, and North America. The facilitators received comprehensive training in nutrition education and risk identification, utilizing the innovative MUAC Z score tape as a screening tool. They were equipped to screen for malnutrition, interpret results, and follow protocols for referring individuals to health facilities for ongoing care.
Impact:
In socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, routine health and nutrition evaluations are often inaccessible. By training community sports facilitators in nutrition education and screening, we enhance access to essential nutrition care in areas lacking regular nutritional evaluation services. Meeting participants in community sports settings with targeted nutrition screening facilitates timely identification of nutrition risks, appropriate referrals, and discussions at the household level to improve child nutrition. Integrating nutrition screening into sports programs offers a cost-effective and sustainable approach to combating malnutrition and creating additional pathways to care.
