TMU’s College of Nutrition Collaborates with Xinyi Elementary School to Promote Healthy Eating and Lifestyles
From February to May 2023, Taipei Medical University’s College of Nutrition USR team partnered with Xinyi Elementary School to offer a “Healthy Body Weight Promotion Program” for overweight students. The program aimed to improve students' understanding of balanced nutrition and encourage healthier body composition and lifestyles.
Designed by TMU dietitians and school nurses, the 3-month curriculum combined systematic lessons with hands-on activities to enhance students’ nutritional literacy and health knowledge. The initiative supports SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, by instilling preventive health awareness from a young age.
Given Xinyi District’s high availability of convenience foods and pervasive food marketing, the program emphasized the “MyPlate” guidelines promoted by Taiwan’s Health Promotion Administration. Students learned to recognize the six major food groups and appropriate portion sizes through interactive methods like group discussions, games, and competitions.
To also support SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, the program included a “Green Smoothie Blind Taste Test” to encourage fruit and vegetable intake and promote concepts such as eco-friendly farming, local produce, low-carbon vegetarian options, minimal additives, and circular resource use.
Beyond classrooms, the program introduced cross-environment teaching by taking students to supermarkets to practice reading nutrition labels and selecting healthier options. The goal was to influence both students and parents, raising family and community awareness of nutrition and well-being.
According to the school nurse, many students showed visible improvement in their physical health after the 3-month course, demonstrating the lasting impact of nutrition education on students' health awareness and long-term wellness.