CEBU, Philippines — The National Nutrition Council in Central Visayas has found and increasing trend in malnutrition based on the 2021 Operation Timbang (OPT) Plus results which reflect the nutrition situation in the region.
Data shows that there is a slight increase in malnutrition particularly, among underweight children from 4.2 percent in 2020 to 4.9 percent in 2021 and overweight and obese children from 2.7 percent to 3.1 percent in the same time period.
It is also to be noted that despite the decrease in prevalence rating from 10.1 percent in 2020 to 9.7 percent in 2021, the magnitude of stunting has increased from 60,819 to 72,179 children less than five years of age already chronically malnourished.
Similarly, although there were no changes in the prevalence rates of overweight and obesity, the number of recorded children with said form of malnutrition increased from 14,382 to 17,884.
This data, NNC-7 said, is reflective of the changes in lifestyle and diet of children and shows the food insecurity experienced by one end of the population and the decrease in physical activity and increased consumption of processed food at the other end of the spectrum.
NNC-7 added that the results of the 2021 OPT Plus is a call to action for the people of Central Visayas to be more conscious of the threat of malnutrition and its effects to population health and efficiency.
Among the specific action points are as follows:
For individuals and households: follow the 10 Kumainments and the Pinggang Pinoy, which is a new, easy to understand food guide that uses a familiar food plate model to convey the right food group proportions on a per-meal basis to meet the body’s energy needs.
This serves as a visual tool to help Filipinos adopt healthy eating habits at meal times by delivering effective dietary and healthy lifestyle messages.
The 10 Kumainments or the 10 Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos on the other hand are simple and easy to remember guidelines to promote healthy living among Filipinos.
For health and nutrition workers: implement the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) programs that address one’s locality’s nutrition concerns.
PPAN is the country’s framework for improving the nutritional status of all Filipinos. It is the blueprint for an integrated programme of nutrition interventions, crafted under the leadership of the NNC.
For local chief executives and local government units to support the nutrition program by integrating nutrition in local development plans and annual investment programs
For academe, business sectors and civil society to include nutrition and nutrition-sensitive activities in their work and financial plan and actively participate in Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) activities.
SUN is a movement for everyone to work together to improve the region’s nutrition situation. — GMR (FREEMAN)