Mumbai, India, December 15, 2023: Abbott, a global healthcare company, has introduced its Future Well™ Kids program in India, a philanthropic initiative supported by the Abbott Fund. The program targets middle school students (10-13 years old) with the goal of educating and inspiring them to understand the causes of chronic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease while encouraging the adoption of healthier habits.
In the initial phase of the program, five schools in Mumbai serving children from under-resourced communities are being supported. Abbott employees are actively volunteering to deliver physical health, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle curricula, contributing to the students' health education.
Collaborating with Discovery Education, a global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum, the Abbott Fund has designed the course content to provide practical, interactive sessions for informed decision-making about health. The program emphasizes the importance of recognizing health myths and setting fitness goals.
Deepshikha Mukerji, regional HR director for Abbott in India, said, “As we address the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases in India, providing equitable access to vital health information to children is important. This is why Abbott created the Future Well™ Kids program. This initiative aims to educate and inspire students to make smart health-conscious decisions for a better tomorrow.”
In India, NCDs like heart disease and Type 2 diabetes contribute to approximately 63% of mortality, with common risk factors including an unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and excess use of tobacco and alcohol. The Future Well Kids program seeks to instill healthy behaviours from childhood, given that many habits leading to NCDs often begin in this phase.
With a focus on good nutrition, fitness, and overall healthy habits, the program aims to inspire students to take simple steps to prevent chronic diseases and cultivate habits that last a lifetime. Through interactive activities, students learn about the importance of nutrition and physical fitness to their health and wellbeing.
The Future Well Kids program has already been implemented in schools across six countries, including Colombia, Ireland, Mexico, the U.K., and the U.S. Since its inception in 2019, the program has reached nearly 5,500 students. Moreover, Abbott has integrated the Future Well™ Kids curriculum into its Real Madrid Foundation partnership, delivering over 35,000 hours of education to more than 10,000 children in 10 countries.
