Malnutrition cases among children aged 0 to 59 months significantly decreased, according to the 2025 Operation Timbang (OPT) Plus report of the Bataan Provincial Health Office.
The OPT results show that there is less than 5 percent prevalence for underweight, wasting, overweight, and obesity, and less than 10 percent for stunting.
The prevalence of underweight and severely underweight children in the province decreased from 3.1 percent in 2023 to 2.8 percent in 2024, and now stands at 2.07 percent in 2025. This equates to 1,593 underweight and severely underweight children in the province.
For stunting and severe stunting, the rate dropped from 5.5 percent in 2023 to 4.9 percent in 2024, and declined to 3.2 percent in 2025, with a total of 2,449 stunted and severely stunted children recorded.
The prevalence of wasting and severe wasting went down from 2.5 percent in 2023 to 2.1 percent in 2024, and now stands at 1.54 percent in 2025, translating to 1,176 affected children.
The overweight and obesity rate among children also showed a positive trend, decreasing from 3.4 percent in 2023 to 3.27 percent in 2024, and reaching 2.48 percent in 2025, with 1,896 children classified as overweight or obese.
The Bataan Provincial Health Office said that all areas in Bataan achieved a low level of public health significance, an indication of a well-planned nutrition action plan and well-implemented nutrition programs.
The annual OPT Plus is a key strategy of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition, conducted nationwide to monitor the nutritional status of children and serve as a basis for local nutrition planning.