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July 26, 2010
How Filipinos eat today
Highlights of the FNRI National Nutrition Survey
by Ruth Manimtim-Floresca
Every five years, the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) conducts nutrition surveys at the national and regional levels. These define Filipinos’ nutritional status with regards to malnutrition and nutrition-related diseases, and their causes. They aim to provide statistical data that will serve as basis for decision-making of both government and non-government sectors.
The 2008 National Nutrition Survey (NNS) is the seventh in the series. Its results were presented during the 36th FNRI Seminar Series in time for the celebration of the nutrition month this July. This year’s theme was dubbed “Pagkaing tama at sapat para sa kalusugan ng lahat.”
FNRI Director Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, presented the highlights of the results to members of the media. He acknowledged that Filipinos’ food intake remained to be a rice-fish-vegetable diet but that the survey found out:
• 7 in every 20 households were energy deficient
• About 4 out of 10 households have inadequate protein intake
• 9 out of 10 households lack iron in their diet
• 8 in every 10 households have inadequate intake for Vitamin A
The average food intake among households, consumption of sugar, and the use of oil and fats have also declined from 2003 to 2008. Likewise, the proportion of households that meet the required energy intake also decreased. When it comes to individual food consumption, a significant drop in food intake was seen among children 6 months to 5 years old since the last survey.
It was also disappointing to find out that more than half, or 6 out of 10, infants aged 0-23 months were being fed with milk (infant formula / follow-on / growing up) other than breast milk. Also, among the 0-5 months age group, 7 in every 10 infants were no longer exclusively breastfed.
Although Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) remains a public health problem, the survey results showed it slightly improved from severe in 2003 to moderate in 2008. VAD among preschool children, aged 6 months to 5 years, has also significantly decreased from 4 in every 10 to about 2 in every 10 while VAD affects about 1 out of 10 pregnant women and lactating mothers.
The 7th NNS also reported on the prevalence of risk factors to non-communicable diseases (e.g. asthma, heart disease, cancer, etc.):
• About 3 in every 10 Filipinos smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol
• Around 8 out of 10 Filipino adults were physically inactive at work, at home, at travel and leisure
• Women have bigger bellies than men
• More women were classified as apple-type obese (fat is concentrated in the waist and hip areas)
Proper Nutrition for Good Health
The FNRI-DOST always emphasizes that proper nutrition is essential and that the adequate intake of vital nutrients is needed to achieve good health. In an article written by nutritionist RC Benavides-de Leon which appeared in the FNRI Digest, Vol. 27 No. 1, the author assures that maintaining good nutrition is as easy as ABC, plus DVM, “A for adequacy, B for balance, C for calorie control, D for nutrient density, M for moderation, and V for variety.”
She explains that given sufficient amounts of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates, our bodies will be able to use these nutrients to build, repair and maintain body tissues and other components. She goes on to expound that proper nutrition provides increased energy and prevents fatigue which is said to be due to excess sugar in the diet.
A proper, well-balanced and nutritious diet also helps one maintain proper weight. “Obesity, which is due to excessive food intake, leads to what we call ‘lifestyle diseases’ such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes,” she writes, adding that these are actually preventable diseases but are currently some of the leading causes of death in the world.
It is this alarming increase of lifestyle diseases that have called the attention of health and nutrition experts and spawned advocacies geared toward the reduction and prevention of these illnesses through proper nutrition.
So remember the six basic principles of ABC and DVM when planning your meals and diet. Benavides-de Leon further reminds that although these principles can help one maintain proper nutrition, they “should be coupled with an active lifestyle to achieve good health [that is] free from diseases.”
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