Mauco+ is a study of diagnosis and prevention of fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease through changes in diet and physical activity. Its principal investigator is Dr. Catterina Ferreccio, director of MAUCO, academic of the Department of Public Health, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and deputy director of the Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS).

The interest in carrying out this first intervention study is due to the fact that in the Chilean population fatty liver disease and cardiovascular diseases have increased in recent years, becoming important public health problems. The causes are in what we eat, the physical activity we do daily and the hours of sleep.

It has been shown in other countries that by improving these daily aspects of life we can prevent these diseases or reduce the damage they cause. It has also been shown that the sooner liver or cardiovascular problems are detected, the easier it will be to improve.

The most important thing about your participation is that it will allow us to determine if it is possible to improve the health of the inhabitants of Molina through intensive exercise and healthy eating and if this improvement is maintained for at least 3 years. If the beneficial effect is demonstrated, this knowledge will be disseminated to the entire population and the authorities will be given a public policy recommendation for the benefit of all Chileans.

The research also counts with the collaboration of Dr. Andrea Huidobro, academic of the Preclinical Sciences Department of the Faculty of Medicine of the Universidad Católica del Maule and also ACCDIS researcher. Nutritionists -Johana Aguilar and Paula Silva-; physical activity advisors – Francisco Barrera and Dr. Natalia Bustamante- and physical education teachers -Felipe Sobarzo and Eliazar Avendaño-. These professionals are accompanied by an excellent team of Senior Nursing Technicians TENS.

See material delivered to the study participants here