THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The central aspects of this work are defined below, such as for
example, health (physical and mental), eating habits, lifestyles, healthy or
unhealthy, sedentary lifestyle, single mothers, vulnerability of the
single mothers, among others.

What is health? Health is defined as a complete state of well-being.

physical, mental, and social and not just the absence of disease or ailment
Physical health is related to optimal physiological functioning.
of the organism, while mental health is defined as the balance
psychological state of the person and we understand social health as the ability to
interact with peers and the environment, satisfying relationships
interpersonal.
Neither physical health nor mental health can exist alone. The functioning of the
mental, physical, and social areas are interdependent. Sartorius in 2003
explained that by recognizing that health is a state of balance including the
own being, others and the environment, we will be helping to support the communities and
individuals understand how to seek their improvement.

What is a Habit? It is a stable mechanism that creates skills or abilities.

it is flexible and can be used in various everyday situations. Habits
they are made up of the customs, attitudes, and behaviors that are assumed
people in concrete situations of daily life, which lead to
to form and consolidate guidelines, behaviors, and learnings that are maintained in the
time and have repercussions (favorable or unfavorable) on health status,
nutrition and well-being (Blázquez et al., 2016).

Food Habits. Food habits are a series of behaviors and

attitudes that a person has at the time of eating, which should be
to have the minimum nutrient requirements that provide the body with energy
sufficient for the development of daily activities.

But the social and cultural environment today has considerably affected
these consumption habits, resulting in a set of behaviors
inadequate, which result in a series of disorders and
metabolic and digestive diseases that in many cases can lead to
to death. All foods contain nutrients, but it is important
to know which ones each of them contains, in order to combine them in each meal and
prevent any of them from being absent (Blázquez et al., 2016).

Natural foods obviously have greater quantity and quality in their

nutrients, so junk food should not take the top spot of
consumption, although it makes tasks easier for those who prepare food.

Currently, due to cultural factors, the environment in which one lives,

the influence of friends, advertising messages, and the general social environment is
it is common for people to engage in some wrong behaviors when it comes to
to feed, such as:

. Exclude some meals, especially breakfast, which has a great

importance because it provides the necessary energy and nutrients
after the overnight fast, contributing to greater performance and
concentration during the day.

. To excessively snack between meals.

. Having a carefree attitude towards healthy habits, consuming alcohol,

tobacco or other drugs.

. Do not practice any sport.

. High intake of fast food like pizzas, hamburgers, etc.

Also soft drinks, sweets, industrial pastries with high amounts of
calories and few nutrients.

. Low calcium intake, such as milk, cheese, yogurts.

. Greater tendency to follow low-calorie diets, which can reach up to

to provoke deficiencies of different nutrients.

In Colombia, the results reported in the national survey of the situation

food (ENSIN, 2010) regarding eating habits, described
through the daily frequency pattern of food consumption, it was determined that
The Colombian population does not practice healthy eating, reflecting the
impact of a food transition that has occurred in recent years.

Healthy lifestyles. They are healthy behaviors or factors

protectors of quality of life, who, by taking them on responsibly, help to
prevent biopsychosocial - spiritual imbalances and maintain well-being for
generate quality of life, satisfaction of needs, and human development.

Some of these protective factors or healthy lifestyles could be:

. Having a sense of life, life goals, and an action plan.
. Maintain self-esteem, sense of belonging, and identity.
. Maintain self-determination, self-management, and the desire to learn.
. Provide affection and maintain social and family integration.
. Having satisfaction with life.
. Promote coexistence, solidarity, tolerance, and negotiation.
. Self-care capacity.
 . Social security in health and control of risk factors such as obesity,
sedentary lifestyle, smoking, alcoholism, drug abuse, stress
and some pathologies such as hypertension and diabetes.
. Leisure activities and enjoyment of free time.
. Communication and participation at the family and social level.
. Accessibility to wellness, health, education, cultural programs,
recreational, among others.
. Economic security.

The strategy to develop these healthy lifestyles is in a single

I end the individual and social commitment, convinced that only in this way can we.
they satisfy fundamental needs, improve quality of life, and are achieved
human development in terms of the dignity of the person.
According to the Pan American Health Organization and the WHO (2014), the
lifestyles have been considered as determining factors and
determinants of an individual's health status.

The development of healthy lifestyle patterns is related to health promotion,

and health is promoted with an adequate standard of living, excellent conditions of
work, education, physical activity, and strategies for rest and recreation.
Within the development and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle, the emphasis is placed on
self-care, which refers to the ability to decide, opt, choose, not only
as acts of reason, or as duties derived from functional roles but
as acts that involve corporality (Álvarez, 2013).

Sedentarism. It is the lack of regular physical activity, defined as: "less than
30 minutes of regular exercise daily and less than 3 days a week. The
sedentary behavior is characteristic of the way of living, consuming, and working in the
advanced societies.

In the past, sedentary behavior was a problem for adults; now it is for
the whole society. It brings many consequences from the physical and mental side. Of
first, the problems can be: articulation issues, losing muscular flexibility,
obesity, hypertension, bone weakening: for the bones to lose strength,
immediate fatigue in response to any activity that requires physical effort,
postural problems that cause frequent pain, tendency to tears
muscular issues, diabetes, anxiety, cholesterol among others. And in the second case, in
the mental consequences include stress, nervousness, depression, lack
of concentration, low self-esteem, often due to the lack of relationships and
communication.

Based on the results of the research conducted until

it can be stated with some certainty that physical activity, exercise
or sports constitute an important factor in people's health.
Some of the benefits that physical exercise provides at the physiological level are,
for example: The increase in blood pumping to the heart, the increase in the
lung capacity, the decrease in blood pressure, the reduction of risk
of coronary attacks, etc.

Other benefits of regular physical exercise and in the

the appropriate measures for our conditions are: improving sleep, reducing
of body fat level, the improvement of muscle tone, etc. But besides,
by incorporating systematic physical exercise into our lives, we gain benefits
also on a psychological and emotional level such as: improvement in the
self-esteem, increase in self-confidence, compensation for excess tension and
stress, reduction of depressive and anxiety states, etc. (Ministry of Health, 2013).

Carlos Hernán Daza, professor of nutritional epidemiology at the school of health

public health faculty of the University of Valle, has warned about since 1997
increase in obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and poor eating habits in countries
industrialized and developing; it also states that people have greater
risk from changes in lifestyles, the increase in food consumption
of industrial origin and the imbalance between the energy that is ingested and the expenditure
caloric.

Mothers heads of household or family. In light of Law 82 of 1993, it is understood as

"Head of Household Woman", who, whether single or married, has under her charge,
economically or socially, on a permanent basis, minor children of their own or others
persons unable or incapacitated to work, either due to absence
permanent or physical, sensory, psychological or moral incapacity of the spouse or
permanent partner or substantial deficiency of help from other members
of the nuclear family.

In the Colombian case, the phenomenon of households with has been increasing.
Female leadership through time. According to the DANE census in 2012 on the rate
the global participation of women heads of household in the national total amounted to
a 66.2%. Among the causes contributing to this increase are:
displacement, violence and the increase in the breakdown of unions, which affects with
greater intensity to poor couples.

The issue of female heads of household has been receiving special attention.
in the measures adopted by recent governments due to their increase
numerical and its relation to poverty.
In the case of Latin America, with the change in cultural patterns in the family,
there has been a high proportion of separations and divorces. At the same time, women
separated, divorced or widowed, experience a greater loss of standard of living
after the breakup, compared to men, especially in those who
they retain custody of their children. This situation is a source of stress for the
women and other emotional problems (Landero, 2006.). On their part in a
research conducted in Panama with women who worked in
multiple roles (workers, mothers, and housewives), found levels
high levels of anxiety, depression, and psychosomatic symptoms related to age
(group of 25 - 45 years higher levels than a group of 46 - 60 years).

Studies conducted in popular areas of Mexico (Berenzon et al., 2005) indicate

that in the case of women, depression is related to the lack of a partner and with
harmful economic situations, as well as with issues of
responsibilities and social roles such as being the head of the family.

In the socioeconomic aspect, numerous studies indicate that the situation of

single-parent families led by women are particularly vulnerable (Ariño,
1999). Its structure imposes restrictions on the ability to generate income.
that the woman is often the sole recipient while she must also carry out the
domestic work demanded by the family group. At the same time, the difficulties of
labor world present in a precarization of employment, a loss of
purchasing power of real wages, accentuates the discrimination towards the
women, which is reflected in the lower salaries they receive as well as their
majority insertion in occupations and sectors with low productivity.

The relationship between work and health in women, according to research on Mexico,
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia document work situations.
poorly paid, precarious working conditions; self-employment
own in the informal sector; the main responsibility for domestic work;
the increasing impoverishment and the intensification of the domestic workload
to respond to adverse economic conditions, sexual harassment
in extra-domestic work and domestic violence at home (Rubin-
Kurtzman et al., 2006.

Actions to promote healthy eating and lifestyles in the

single mothers

In recent years, sedentary lifestyles and a consumption have been incorporated.

of foods rich in lipids, sugar, low in fibers and micronutrients. In this
sense, the population of Latin America has changed from a condition of high
prevalence of low weight and growth deficit towards a scenario marked by
an increase in overweight and obesity (Baur, 2004). In single mother households
At home, an influence exerted by social customs can be identified.
cultural, economic, family eating habits, the means of
communication and the industry, in food practices and lifestyles for
them and their children or relatives.

The objectives of this intervention aim directly at improving the quality of

life of these women, and indirectly of their families, through the increase
of their skills to handle emotions, the conflicts arising from their
situation; the strengthening of self-esteem and the appreciation of one's own
capabilities from the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits.
Based on what the WHO established since 2010 in the global strategy
executed on healthy eating, physical activity and health, the
specific recommendations on diet and physical activity that will be presented
to the population of single mother households are the following:

. Increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables, as well as legumes,

whole grains and nuts, Substantially increase the amount of
physical activity throughout life.
. Stop consuming saturated fats and trans fatty acids and
replace them with unsaturated fats and in some cases reduce total intake
of fats.
. As for animal-based foods, consumption should be encouraged.
of fish, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products.
. Reduce the intake of 'free or refined' sugars.
. Reduce the consumption of salt from any source and ensure that it is iodized.
. Properly inform consumers about food for
that can hold "healthy elections."
. Reduce the intensive marketing of foods high in fat and/or
sugars intended for children.
. Physical activity is a determining factor of energy expenditure and for
both of energy balance and weight control, it also reduces the risk
related to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and presents
considerable advantages over other diseases, especially those associated
with obesity.
. It is recommended that people stay sufficiently active
throughout life. (WHO, 2010).

In Colombia, with all the trend worldwide overweight and evidence

Obesity is assumed to be a priority health problem.
public (law 1355 of 2009). Where specific strategies and initiatives are stipulated
with the objective to control, address and prevent the rising rates of
overweight, obesity, and physical inactivity in the Colombian population, but with
greater emphasis on the child and school population, there are various
strategies aimed specifically at educational institutions where
promote the distribution of a balanced and healthy diet, regulation
of food and beverage consumption and encourage physical activity (time of
physical education classes.

At the regional level, the Government of Norte de Santander together with the Institute of
sports of the department carry out programs and projects aimed at
massification of sport, recreation, physical activity, and the use of
free time. In the case of single mothers, the time factor is vital already
that their obligations and responsibilities limit them to attending meetings
dance therapy programs, bike lanes, sports meetings, etc. Therefore,
practice at home for short periods as a routine to revitalize your emotional state
and physical is part of the objectives of this work.
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