July is Nutrition Month
It has often been mentioned that the future of the country lies in our children. But what kind of future could it be when majority of our children are classified today as undernourished? In studies conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Filipino children through the years have been afflicted with Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) resulting from inadequate intake of energy and protein food, particularly school age children.
According to statistics, 31.8 percent of school age children are underweight, 32 percent are stunted, and 6.6 percent suffer from wasting. Aside from PEM, Anemia and deficiencies in Vitamin A and Iodine continue to exist as the country’s major nutritional concern. Recent research also shows that it is not only clinically severe malnutrition, but also moderate malnutrition, that exponentially increases mortality risk in young children. Moderate malnutrition also places children at risk of delayed cognitive and psychomotor development and of increased immunity.
In observance of nutrition month, the Department of Education (DepED) launched an information campaign with the theme, “Batang May Kinabukasan, Sa Wastong Nutrisyon Simulan” which focuses on the importance of ensuring good nutrition among the pre-schoolers. Another project of the department is the National School Health Maintenance Drive which is a universal medical and dental health examination for first to third graders in all public elementary schools in the country.
Local government units on the other hand, particularly the City of Manila, organized a series of activities in their districts, such as feeding, weighing, deworming, and Vitamin A and Iron supplementation. The city government also conducted nutrition- related activities including daily feeding programs for school children in the city’s 71 public elementary schools and pre-schoolers in the city’s 340 day care and 28 home-based centers. Private companies such as Unilever Philippines and Coca-cola Bottlers Philippines, also cooperated and funded such programs, and at times, engaged their employees to volunteer in various nutritional programs.
Enrique Zobel Foundation did its part by developing a four phase project called “Sagip Malnutrisyon sa Batang Mag-aaral” which is aimed to lower malnutrition and increase scholarship, particularly in the province of Calatagan, Batagas.
With all these counter measures, I believe the government’s battle on malnutrition could be won in no time. But as the saying goes “an ounce of prevention is better than cure” and one important factor that is somewhat overlooked is breastfeeding. Studies show that breastfed babies grow up to be, on the average, more intelligent, emotionally secure, and healthy than infant formula-fed babies. Six months of breastfeeding is needed for “optimal infant growth, development and health”. Whether the decline is a result of the successful marketing of infant formulas, I still think the government should resume, or start a new promotion campaign on the importance of breastfeeding
