HEALTH EDUCATION AS A MEDICAL ACTION TOOL: THE UTILIZATION OF THIS PRACTICE BY MEDICAL STUDENTS IN ILHÉUS-BA

Introduction/Objective: Healthy eating habits and lifestyle are factors that contribute to preventing and/or delaying the appearance of chronic non-transmissible diseases (CNTD). The early appearance of these pathologies is very worrying, being a challenge to be faced. The present study had as objective construct and improve the knowledge of population about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and eating habits during childhood, avoiding so the precocious appearing of the CNTD. Methodology: Was performed with parents and students from elementary education in two different schools, one public and other a private school in the city of Ilhéus-BA from march to december 2015, three educational workshops: packed killers, friendly menu and hot potato. Was discussed issues related to the nutritional contents and their association with the CNTD. The activities were finalized with screening actions on the target audience (blood pressure measurement, waist circumference, height, weight and calculation of body mass index). The collected data were analyzed. After the analysis of the data, the detected deviations were referred to the ascribed Family Health Care Unit. Results/Conclusion: The results of this activity reveals the unanimous involvement of the children, the effort to abandon some bad eating habits and the reduction of the waist circumference for those who presented alterations. Therefore, the incorporation of this activities to the medical practice allows the amplification of the assistance and the action both in preventing diseases as in health promotion, promoting the change in the professional performance paradigm from centered on cure to practices of health education.