Extremadura school health program reaches record 27,000 students

The Health Education Program against Childhood and Youth Obesity in Extremadura has reached record participation levels. During the 2025/2026 academic year, 27,022 students from 226 educational centers participated in the initiative, which aims to promote healthy eating habits and physical exercise.

Managed by the Junta de Extremadura through the Servicio Extremeño de Salud (SES), the voluntary program involves teachers and non-teaching professionals across various educational levels, from early childhood education to high school.

Looking ahead to the 2026/2027 course, Yolanda Márquez, Director General of Public Health at SES, announced new features including group choreography to encourage physical activity. Nutritional education will also expand, with students creating healthy recipe books and attending workshops on reading food labels. The program continues its focus on specific foods each year; following olive oil and fish, the upcoming focus will be on tomatoes, with plans to include regional products like stone fruit in the future.