A NUTRITION official lauded the Cebu Provincial Government for taking measures to make rice affordable at P20 per kilo and implementing its province-wide feeding program for school children.
But Parolita Mission, regional program coordinator of the National Nutrition Council in Central Visayas (NNC 7), encouraged the creation of projects that will also benefit infants.
"That would help families in addressing hunger problems because we know that if there is hunger, malnutrition often follows. However, it's crucial to consider our long-term perspective," she said in mix of English and Cebuano.
Citing the Social Weather Stations data, she said 9.3 percent of families in Visayas experience involuntary hunger.
Mission told SunStar Cebu on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, that it is more ideal to intervene in the health and nutritional well-being of children aged below six years old to 24 months to address chronic malnutrition.
She said it is integral to prioritize the children's first 1,000 days, covering the period from conception to two years old.
Mission added that this is a critical period during which their brain, body, and immune system undergo substantial growth and development to avoid “pagkaputot” or stunting.
This focus arises following the identification of Cebu as one of the provinces struggling with malnutrition issues, a concern raised during the introduction of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2023-2028 last October.
Malnutrition
Cebu is among the 34 provinces in the Philippines pinpointed by the NNC with malnutrition challenges, particularly among children under five.
Other provinces on the list are Leyte, Sulu, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Samar, Lanao del Norte, Masbate, Palawan, Basilan, Camarines Sur, Quezon, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Maguindanao, Bukidnon, Iloilo, Cavite, Bulacan, Cotabato, Oriental Mindoro, Pangasinan, Rizal, Davao del Sur, Nueva Ecija, Isabela, Pampanga, Sorsogon, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Surigao del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Antique, and Tawi-Tawi.
According to data from 2022 Operation Timbang Plus, 8.5 percent, equivalent to 55,741 children under five in Central Visayas, experienced stunting.
But this figure reflects an improvement from the 2021 count, which was at 72,179.
Additionally, there was a decrease in acute malnutrition cases among preschool children in Central Visayas in 2022, with 14,503 affected, down from 17,884 in 2021.
Intervention
Mission suggested that in addition to dietary supplementation such as feeding, it would be beneficial if pregnant women also receive nutrition care.
She also advocated for providing a dietary supplement for infants after they transition from exclusive breastfeeding in their first six months.
"Other interventions would include micronutrient supplementation to provide additional nutrients to the at-risk age group," she said.
Mission also recommended giving direct care to identified malnourished children, particularly those severely acutely malnourished, by providing them with ready-to-use therapeutic and supplementary food.
She emphasized the importance of incorporating indirect interventions to address underlying causes of malnutrition, such as unemployment and lack of education. (KJF)