BONTOC, Mountain Province (PIA)– Provincial Nutrition Council (PNC) here will intensify measures to improve the nutritional status of children in the province
During the 1st Quarter PNC meeting, the body firmed up plans to address the prevalence of malnutrition particularly among preschool children aged 0-59 months.
Data from the Provincial Health Office showed that there was no difference on the number of underweight and severely underweight in the year 2021 and 2022. However, there was a gradual increase in the percentage of children who are overweight and obese.
There was a decrease on the number of children who are stunted from 15.7 percent in 2021 to 13.7% in 2022.
With these results, the PNC set targets to reduce the number of overweight and obese preschool children from 3.34% last year to 3.0% this year, and gradually reduce wasting prevalence of 1.95% from 2022 to 1.50% by this year. Likewise, to reduce the level of stunted children under five years old by at least 8.59% in 2023 from the baseline of 13.7% in 2022.
Programs for the identified issues include nutrition specific programs through the conduct of infant and young feeding programs, dietary supplementation program, nutrition promotion program for behavior change, micronutrient supplementation, mandatory food fortification, and overweight and obesity management and prevention program.
For the nutrition sensitive programs, activities planned are mainstreaming nutrition in sustainable livelihood, home and school food production; Water, sanitation and Hygiene programs, Adolescent Health and Nutrition programs, and reproductive health/responsible parenthood. These activities promote heathy lifestyle and food within the home and school.
Other measures for the management of malnutrition are enabling mechanism programs, and conduct and provision of assistance for capacity building activities. **JDP/VJLT-PIA Mt. Province
