The 'Fruit Heroes' method, promoted by the Portuguese Association Against Childhood Obesity (APCOI) and applied in Madeira schools, has gained international scientific recognition.
A study published in the European Journal of Nutrition, conducted by researchers from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Lisbon, concluded that the program is an effective tool for increasing and maintaining daily fruit intake in children aged 3 to 11.
Results show that after the intervention, there was a 44.6% increase in children meeting daily fruit consumption recommendations, with over half of those who rarely ate fruit beginning to do so regularly at school. APCOI president Mário Silva highlighted the international recognition confirming the program's effective and accessible pedagogical value for promoting healthier school environments.
