ILOILO City – The National Nutrition Council (NNC) is calling on local government units (LGUs) and barangays in Western Visayas to increase their investment in nutrition by allocating funds to implement various programs aimed at improving the nutritional status of children aged zero to 59 months within their communities.
This appeal, made by NNC’s Regional Nutrition Program officer-in-charge coordinator Sheryl C. Sedantes, followed observations that the region’s nutritional status has shown improvements, although these are not as significant as hoped.
NNC seeks improvement in different forms of malnutrition in the region, including stunting, wasting, and obesity.
Stunting refers to low height for age, an indication of chronic undernutrition. Wasting, on the other hand, is characterized by low weight for height, signaling acute undernutrition. Obesity, a form of overnutrition, is identified by excess body fat that can adversely affect health.
“We still face problems with stunting, wasting, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiency. The prevalence rate is indeed improving, but the progress is not as substantial as we would like,” said Sedanttes.
Ideally, she said, “we want a significant improvement, aiming for more than a one to two percent reduction, but sometimes achieving this goal can be challenging. Nonetheless, we are hopeful that the reduction will continue, even if gradual,” said Sedantes.
Data collected through Operation Timbang Plus (OPT Plus), conducted by LGUs with the help of Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS), showed one to two percent improvements in the nutritional status of stunting, wasting, and obesity among children zero to 59-month-old children from 2019 to 2023.
* Stunting – 2019, 7.64 percent; 2020, 7.13 percent; 2021, 6.85 percent; 2022, 5.15 percent; and 2023, 4.49 percent
* Wasting – 2019, 2. 53 percent; 2020, two percent; 2021, 1.85 percent; 2022, 1.41 percent; and 2023, 1.11 percent
* Obesity – 2019, 2.25 percent; 2020, 2.41 percent; 2021, 2.62 percent; 2022, 2.01 percent;, and 2023, 1.79 percent
Call to Action
NNC is advocating for the adoption and support of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2023-2028 by LGUs. This plan serves as a framework for addressing nutritional issues at all levels.
“Moreover, we want them to invest in nutrition, not just by adopting the plan, but by allocating sufficient funds for its implementation. Without financial investment, these programs cannot be successfully executed,” said Sedantes.
Additionally, Sedantes called on LGUs to strengthen, capacitate, and equip BNS with the necessary tools to provide nutrition education, counseling, and promote awareness of good nutrition practices.
“Incentives should also be provided to motivate the BNS, who handle the critical groundwork in our communities. It is essential that they remain motivated,” she added.
Apart from LGUs, Sedantes highlighted that some barangays, although not all, allocate around only P2,000 per year for nutrition programs, as observed during annual evaluations and monitoring.
“It is somewhat disheartening that not enough focus or attention is given to nutrition, which is crucial if we aim to foster a healthy community,” said Sedantes.
She emphasized the importance of proper nutrition for overall health.
“One cannot be healthy without proper nutrition, and avoiding illness and achieving health starts with a solid nutritional foundation,” said Sedantes.
Here’s nutritional status of provinces, cities and municipalities in the region in the prevalence of stunting, wasting, and obesity for the year 2023.
STUNTING
* Provincial – Antique (10.53 percent), Negros Occidental (5.57 percent), Guimaras (5.38 percent), Iloilo (4.83 percent), Aklan (4.37 percent), Capiz (3.38 percent)
* Cities (Top 5) – La Carlota City, Negros Occidental (5.92 percent); Victorias City, Negros Occidental (5.86 percent); San Carlos City, Negros Occidental (3.93 percent); Passi City (3.77 percent); and Cadiz City, Negros Occidental (2.98 percent)
* Municipalities (Top 5) – Lauan, Antique (22.32 percent); Badiangan, Iloilo (20.21 percent); San Rafael, Iloilo (18.75 percent); San Remigio, Antique (18. 50 percent); and Patnongon, Antique (17. 25 percent)
WASTING
* Provincial – Antique (1.93 percent), Aklan (1.48 percent), Negros Occidental (1.33 percent), Iloilo (1.12 percent), Capiz (0.88 percent), Guimaras (.67 percent)
* Cities (Top 5) – Silay City, Negros Occidental (2.54 percent); San Carlos City, Negros Occidental (2.22 percent); La Carlota City, Negros Occidental (1.64 percent); Roxas City (1.35 percent); and Passi City (1.16 percent)
* Municipalities (Top 5) – Pilar, Capiz (5.86 percent); Malinao, Aklan (5.85 percent); Laua-an, Antique (4.24 percent); San Miguel, Iloilo (4. 21 percent); and Carles, Iloilo (4.11 percent)
OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY
* Provincial — Guimaras (3.01 percent), Antique (2.55 percent), Aklan (2.31 percent), Iloilo (2.25 percent), Capiz (1.91 percent), Negros Occidental (1.45 percent)
* Cities (Top 5) – Roxas City (2.42 percent); Himamaylan, Negros Occidental (2.27 percent); Passi City (2.23 percent); La Cartlota, Negros Occidental (1.91 percent); and Iloilo City (1.75 percent)
* Municipalities (Top 5) – Mina, Iloilo (6.25 percent); Buenavista, Guimaras (4.75 percent); Janiuay, Iloilo (3.87 percent); Bingawan, Iloilo (3.71 percent); and Pandan, Antique (3.65 percent)/PN
