Stunting Remains a Problem in Central Visayas – NNC

Stunting among preschool children remains to be a problem in Central Visayas.

In a media forum of Association of Government Information – Philippine Information Agency (AGIO-PIA 7), Dr. Parolita Mission, National Nutrition Council (NNC-7) Regional Director said, although there is a little decrease in malnutrition cases in Central Visayas, stunting remains to be a major problem among preschool children.

“Two out of five preschool children are stunt,” Mission said.

She noted that this could be attributed to lack of food intake and lack of enough nutrients and vitamins needed by the body to prosper growth among children.

Mission also added that most cases of stunting in Central Visayas is in Negros Oriental.

She further said that aside from stunting among preschool children, obesity and underweight is also monitored among adolescents and school chidren.

Mission then encouraged the public especially mothers to practice breastfeeding.

“We have this First One Thousand Days campaign, mothers are encouraged to undergo prenatal [examination] so that even if the babies are still in the womb, there is an assurance that they can already get vitamins and nutrients from the mother. And after birth mothers should breastfeed their babies that will complete the 1000 days,” Mission said.

She said that this is so because breast feeding is the best prevention in the malnutrition problem among children because it is important that in their period of growth they are compact with vitamins and nutrients that would serve as their foundation for proper growth development.

In cases of obesity and underweight among adolescents and school children, Mission encouraged the youth to go into normal diet. (ays/PIA 7)