Growing of Own Produce Help Increase Nutritional Status of Country – FNRI

Cagayan De Oro City – Based on findings by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) – Food Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), households growing their own produce such as vegetables, tubers and roots and fruits add to the quality of life and nutritional status of the country.

In the Regional Dissemination Forum: 2015, Updating of the Nutritional Status of Filipino children and other population groups on 27 October in Cagayan de Oro City conducted by DOST-FNRI and National Nutrition Council (NNC) region 10, FNRI shared that even though majority of the households in the country have “acceptable” food consumption level, what is important is the quality of food they intake.

Cristina G. Malabad, of FNRI-DOST explained that 59% of households in Northern Mindanao, consume dark, green leafy vegetables from their own produce. Meanwhile 34.7% have their own Vitamin A rich fruits and 27.9% for other vegetables.

Food security is a factor to malnutrition. However, being able to eat three times a day is not solely based on availability or accessibility of food but its sustainability. Malabad said that they are urging families and households to plant vegetables in their own yard.

On the other hand, there are emerging problems with Non-communicable Disease risk factors in the country including increasing trends of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia, persistence of overweight and obesity among adults, continuing declines in smoking, except in 20-29 age group, increasing trends in binge drinking among females and persistence of high proportions of inactive female adults.

In terms of malnutirition in children, one identified problem according to FNRI is the prevalence of stunting among children under five years old (0-59 months). In region 10, prevalence of this is 36.5%. This matters because stunting or slowed growth is largely irreversible outcome of inadequate nutrition and repeated bouts of infection during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.

Further, stunting or other measures of lost growth potential is associated with reduced grade attainment. It has long term effects such as diminished cognitive and physical development, reduced productive capacity and poor health.

When it comes to genes, FNRI says it’s not really the genes that contribute to stunting but the inadequate nutrition of the child in his or her first 1000 days.

Mildred Guirindola of FNRI-DOST said that 59.5% of mothers Northern Mindanao is exclusively breastfeeding their children from 0-5 months higher than the average of the country which is 48.8%. However, this has declined from 2011 with 64.1% to 2015 with 59.5%.

Guirindola also stressed that when the child reaches six months, he or she must be introduced with complementary feeding. This must be composed of the seven food groups such as grains, roots and tubers, dairy products, vitamin A rich fruits and vegetables, other fruits and vegetables, eggs, flesh meat and legumes and nuts. However, in region 10, only 89.9% of children 6-23 months are meeting the minimum meal frequency compared to the average of the country at 91.7%.

Among the recommendations of FNRI include enhance governance between national and local government, increased resources specifically for nutrition and improved nutrition information systems at local levels. (JMOR/PIA10)