As part of this important union, Abbott will donate MUAC Z-SCORE tapes, a simple and effective tool recognized for the early evaluation of nutrition
This measurement tool will be used in the 60 allied sports academies of Bantrab in Guatemala, which impact around 10,000 children. These academies promote skills such as teamwork, discipline and leadership. Sport is positioned as a key tool for physical and emotional well -being, and helps improve academic performance.
The effectiveness of this type of evaluations has been validated through research, including a study in Guatemala in 2019, in which the risk of malnutrition was evaluated in 818 children between 5 and 19 years old, using this tape. The researchers highlighted the utility and practicality of the tool, stating that it allowed to make immediate and successful decisions to provide attention to children at nutritional risk.
“Malnutrition is a complex and urgent challenge, but it is also preventable. Providing tools such as the Muac Z-Score tape and empowering communities with knowledge is a fundamental step to improve health. Alliances such as the one we sign today with Bantrab allow us to reach children where they live, learn and play, generating a significant impact on their lives,” said Dr. Yumaira Chacón Senior for Abbott’s nutrition business in Guatemala.
In 2023, five agencies of the United Nations Organization (UN) classified malnutrition as a serious threat to world health and asked that urgent measures be taken. Throughout the world, severe malnutrition affects 45 million children a year, approximately one in three children under five years.
In Guatemala, multiple forms are adopted: growth delay (below a healthy stature for age), emaciation (below a healthy weight for height) or overweight (above a healthy weight for height). Obesity rates, specifically, are increasing among adolescents: 18% of young people between 15 and 19 are considered overweight and 4% are considered obese. In addition, almost half of children under five in the country (46.5%) suffer chronic malnutrition, according to UNICEF.
“In Bantrab we bank with purpose and we have a strong commitment to the well -being and the future of the Guatemalans. We are excited about the ABBOTT alliance, since it will directly impact the health of the children of our country,” said José Antonio Roca, general manager of Bantrab.
Abbott, in its fight against malnutrition, has donated and distributed more than 12 thousand MUAC Z-SCORE tapes in Guatemala since 2023. The collaboration between Abbott and Bantrab will strengthen this previous work, addressing the problem of malnutrition in the present, and at the same time, creating a sustainable model that serves as an example for other communities. This effort reflects a joint commitment to the development of future generations and the integral well -being of Guatemalan families.