The INFADIMED program, promoted by the Catalan Health Institute (ICS), has proven effective in fostering healthy habits among children. A recent study published in the journal Atención Primaria concludes that the program has increased adherence to the Mediterranean diet by 14.5% and reduced overweight and obesity in participants between 2011 and 2025.
The initiative, which began in four schools in Vilafranca del Penedès, has expanded to 331 centers across 43 Catalan municipalities, involving over 13,000 children. The longitudinal study analyzes three program phases, noting a decrease in overweight from 22.9% to 16.6% in the pilot phase (2011-2015) for the intervention group, while the control group saw an increase.
In the consolidation phase (2017-2023), optimal adherence to the Mediterranean diet grew from 33.4% to 47.9% among the more than 2,100 students studied. Satisfaction with the program is high, with 94% of management teams and 93.5% of families rating it positively in the 2024-2025 academic year. Furthermore, 84% of families reported improvements in their own nutritional habits, suggesting a multiplier effect within the home.
INFADIMED combines gamification and audiovisual storytelling, featuring the character Capitán Vitamines, in sessions delivered by primary care nurses from the ICS. The program has also integrated the digital platform SalutFlix and updated its messages according to UNICEF recommendations.
Jordi Fernández Blanco, coordinator of the INFADIMED Research Group at IDIAPJGol, emphasizes the crucial role of primary care nurses in the program's sustainability, noting that the model is transferable to other regions without requiring extraordinary resources.
The study, funded by the ICS, acknowledges limitations such as the absence of a control group in recent phases and proposes future research on long-term impact and cost-effectiveness.
