THE focus of the 2009 Nutrition Month will shift to lifestyle diseases linked to eating habits.

Dr. Parolita Mission, nutrition program coordinator of the National Nutrition Council (NNC) 7 said that although the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the country
has increased people’s consciousness, the influence of the media still contributed to the general decline in consumption of fruits and vegetables.

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Of the top five causes of death in the Philippines, three are non-communicable, lifestyle diseases, with heart disease on the top, followed by cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Dr. Judita Tawatao of the Department of Health (DOH) 7 reported that DOH studies found foods high in fat and low in fiber to be the culprit of lifestyle diseases.

The DOH is addressing this health issue with a training program in local government units (LGUs) on the prevention of lifestyle diseases.

DOH is targeting to launch the program in four Negros Oriental towns on July 17. In partnership with the Seventh Day Adventist, DOH is spreading an advocacy against non-communicable lifestyle diseases through a formula: No Smoking plus Healthy Diet plus Exercise.

The town of Amlan, Negros Oriental has recently been declared smoke-free. DOH is going all over the region to encourage LGUs to adopt the formula. But Tawatao admitted they are having difficulty convincing LGUs with executive leaders who are smokers.

Meanwhile, the 2008 data on prevalence of overnutrition and malnutrition had been released.

“Gone are the days nga cute ang mga bata nga tambok,” emphasized Tawatao.

Based on the 2008 survey, Cebu tops all Region 7 provinces in the prevalence of overnutrition among pre-school children while malnutrition remains a problem for Negros Oriental where kids of sakadas are not properly taken care of.

Out of the 275,945 pre-school kids in Cebu, 6,052 are overweight. Both Tawatao and Mission warned that these children could be the future diabetics and hypertensives.

They have seriously linked obesity to eating junk food.

In Colegio del Sto. Niño, pupils are assigned to bring certain fruits and vegetables so teachers can actually observe them eating a proper diet.

Sonia Requiron, nutrition month coordinator, said that obesity is not an issue in the school, although most of the pupils are from the middle working class but she admitted the school canteen still sells junk food.

The Regional Nutrition Committee has passed a resolution mandating school canteens to “offer healthy food choices,” junk foods obviously excluded and it has called the attention of some schools in Cebu City.

Director Recaredo Borgonia, Department of Education Region 7, said they can investigate and reprimand the schools but not order closure should they be found selling
junk foods.

Meanwhile, Borgonia shared that the feeding program in Negros Oriental, the top rank in malnutrition, was modified recently; all grade levels are already included in the program.