Joined the programme in 2020 

Bogotá has joined the Cities for Better Health in November 2020. The health secretariat, the Danish embassy and the local Novo Nordisk affiliate signed a memorandum of understanding to join the global network of cities working to bend the curve on diabetes. Working with two universities, Universidad de Rosario & Universidad Nacional, and the local government, the city of 8 million people will focus on improving the health and wellbeing of its citizens through new and innovative solutions.

Furnicular to Monserrat in Bogota with skyscrapers in the backgr

According to the IDF around 3.5 million adults or 8,3% of the adult population live with diabetes in Colombia.1  A similar rate has been found for Bogotá as it is estimated that between 4% and 8% of the city´s population live with this condition. Additionally, obesity and overweight are also growing in the city as 55,6% of adults in Bogotá were estimated overweight or had obesity in 2015.2

This context shows that Bogotá faces major public health challenges related to prevention, food rights, healthy environments, and food security that require innovative and impactful solutions. The city is currently working on urban initiatives to improve communities´ foodscapes, also deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and build strategies to advance the local food policy agenda.

Key facts and figures

8,3%

 

of the adult population live with diabetes in Colombia1.

55,6%

 

of adults in Bogotá were estimated overweight or had obesity in 2015.2 

27,7%

 

of children and adolescents in Bogotá were estimated overweight or living with obesity in 20153

49,6%

 

of the city´s population have not done any physical activity in the last 30 days.4

Cities for Better Health in Bogotá is conducting both quantitative and qualitative research to map the burden and prevalence of type 2 diabetes and metabolic disease to improve knowledge about the challenge and be able to better address the vulnerability factors in the city. The research will transform into an action plan with the aim to turn Bogotá into a global leader in diabetes prevention as well as other metabolic diseases.

Bogota poses many challenges to healthy behaviour and eating among its residents. The interplay between social, economic, and cultural barriers makes it difficult for people to access healthy food in a convenient way. These dynamics affect people´s food rights and health. Therefore, the primary focus is to develop strategies to consolidate a local agenda of food security and food rights. The city has been making progress in a foodscapes strategy to improve community food environments and highlight the importance of the urban environment in generating healthy food consumption patterns. Cities for Better Health in Bogotá is partnering with UNICEF and Gehl in this cause. 

 

“This partnership will allow us to prevent diabetes, specifically in children and teenagers, it will also position our city as an international reference in prevention of this disease” 

— Alejandro Gómez, Secretary of health, Bogotá

1.

https://www.idf.org/our-network/regions-members/south-and-central-america/members/79-colombia.html

 

2.

Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF). Colombia National Survey of the Nutritional Situation (ENSIN). Department for Social Prosperity (DPS), Republic of Colombia;2015.

3.

ENSIN, 2015

4.

District Health Secretariat. Health Observatory (Salud Data).