Tackling child micronutrient deficiencies: a continuing, urgent challenge

by Arlene Tan-Bantoto
Nutrition Business Executive Officer, Nestlé Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Being a mother and professional in the nutrition business, I am acutely conscious of malnutrition as a serious and widespread health concern, starting with micronutrient deficiencies (MND) among Filipino kids aged zero to five years old. Having worked for over 2 decades at Nestlé Nutrition, an important part of my job is understanding the ins and outs of the nutritional challenges that young Filipino children face.

In observing National Food Fortification Day this month, it is only fitting to think about how MND leaves lasting scars by retarding healthy child growth and development that should take place in the early years. The results are permanent loss of human potential and productivity including poor performance in school, increased social costs (think of a heavier healthcare burden) and negative impacts on economic growth.

Facts about MND

A major health problem caused by MND is iron deficiency anemia (IDA) among Filipino children aged six months to under one year old, with four out of 10 of them suffering from it. Those with IDA can become pale and weak, eat less and tire easily. Apart from poor weight gain, they can experience frequent respiratory and intestinal infections. Most concerning is the association between iron deficiency and impaired behavioral, mental, and psychomotor development.

Many young Filipino children are also afflicted by iodine deficiency and vitamin A deficiency (VAD). Iodine deficiency is reported as the main cause of brain damage in childhood, interfering with cognitive and motor development that affects academic performance. Globally, VAD is the most preventable cause of childhood blindness, and it is linked with illness and death from childhood infections. Also frequently occurring are deficiencies of vitamins such as B complex and C and necessary minerals like calcium and zinc.

Food fortification is a solution. The Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology recognizes the importance of food fortification in fighting MND. An FNRI policy statement cites food fortification for being feasible, cost-effective and sustainable as a long-term solution, successful in reducing health conditions caused by MND. But because of economic and other factors, there is much that remains to be done against micronutrient deficiencies.

The Philippine Food Fortification Act of 2000 requires the fortification of staple foods and encourages voluntary fortification of processed foods. Through the Sangkap Pinoy program, the Department of Health leads the law’s implementation.

In helping to raise the nutrition, health and wellness state of Filipino families, at Nestlé Philippines we are deeply conscious of the pressing need for food fortification in addressing MND. Therefore, we scientifically formulate products with useful micronutrients, particularly for children, and constantly innovate and renovate.

In 2023, we provided Filipinos with 25 billion fortified product servings, perhaps the biggest volume in the manufactured food sector. Among these are nutritional products for young children: infant cereals, baby food, and growing up milks.

One way we participate in fighting child MND is with Cerelac, our range of infant cereals, locally the most consumed in that product category. The main contribution of Cerelac is delivering food fortification to serve young Filipino children’s needs and making it easier to do so for mothers and caregivers.

Our efforts to help alleviate child MND via food fortification with infant cereals is a key corporate priority. We consider all relevant aspects of MND in the country, food fortification principles and the attributes of our products so that these will offer the best nutritional value.

With Filipino children’s micronutrient needs in mind and to complement home-cooked food, our infant cereals are fortified with up to 20 vitamins and minerals, as well as probiotics and DHA required for healthy child growth and development. In scientifically formulating Celerac, we factor in taste profile and nutrition delivery to enable acceptance by mothers and babies. The added sugar in some Cerelac variants is much lower than internationally and locally prescribed thresholds. We are expanding our no-added sugar variants and continuously working to reduce sugar in our infant cereals. It is important to know that there are different kinds of sugar.

Most sugar in our infant cereals comes from natural ingredients and is not added or refined. For example, in a complete recipe containing milk, up to 60% of total sugar may come from lactose which is naturally present in milk. Limited sugar can come from ingredients we add such as fruit purée, fruit pieces, sucrose, or honey, which are used to improve taste and texture. Some sugar naturally present in the cereals are released in manufacturing. In certain regulatory environments, these are often considered to be added sugar.

As a nutrition business, we can be successful only by striving to be a force for good. In joining to fight child MND through food fortification, we are investing in the future. In collaboration with our partners in the public and private sectors, we look forward to continue contributing to a healthier and more productive population. The broader aim is to help strengthen national development to benefit all Filipinos, especially those who need it most. We will keep doing so based on scientific knowledge while observing global guidelines and local regulations and prioritizing good nutrition and health for children.

There is quite a disconnect between today’s digital age, with artificial intelligence enhancing our quality of life in different ways and the persistence of malnutrition problems like MND among very young Filipinos. There is something of a time warp about it.

Finally, having raised my own kids as a mother, I personally hope for a future when all our children will be properly nourished, and the high incidence of malnutrition, particularly MND, will be a thing of the past. Meanwhile, dealing with it remains an urgent task.

Editor’s Note: This article was made in partnership with Nestlé.