July is Nutrition Month

By: Jocelyn P. Alvarez

ZAMBOANGA CITY, June 18 (PIA)- - The National Nutrition Council (NNC) office here will spearhead the 38^th Nutrition Month celebration this July with this year’s theme: “Pagkain ng gulay ugaliin, araw-araw itong ihain!”

Maria Del Pilar Pamela R. Tarroza, Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator, NNC in a press statement said this year’s celebration is aimed at increasing vegetable consumption as part of a healthy diet to address micronutrient deficiencies and non-communicable diseases;  promote vegetable gardening as a source of additional food and income; and increase demand for vegetables to help local vegetable farmers. 

Tarroza said this 2012’s nutrition month celebration focuses on vegetables for several reasons and one is that Filipinos are eating less and less vegetables.

“Based on food consumption surveys, Filipinos on average are eating less and less vegetables per day in the last three decades. From 145 grams per day of vegetables in 1978, consumption has decreased to 110 grams per day in 2008," Tarroza said.

Tarroza expalined, in 2005, the NNC commissioned the Food and Nutrition Research Institute to determine the reasons why Filipinos eat very little vegetables.

She said the study showed the following reasons for the low consumption of vegetables: influence of family members who do not eat vegetables; dislike for vegetables because of taste and texture; preference for meat than vegetables; cultural beliefs about vegetables (e.g. eating squash can cause leprosy); vegetables are expensive; fear of chemicals and pesticides; vegetables require more time  to prepare ; preference for fast foods and instant foods; lack of supply ; lack of knowledge on nutritional and health benefits of vegetables.

Tarroza also shared some of the possible activities that the Regional Health Training Center will be doing in celebration of the July nutrition month.

Some of these activities include simultaneous vegetable gardening in various communities and schools set on July 2.

Distribution of vegetable seeds and seedlings will also be conducted in coordination with concerned agencies.

Planting materials and gardening tools will also be distributed to concerned beneficiaries.

Lectures, seminars and demonstrations on vegetable production, processing and cooking are also included in the nutrition month plan of activities.

Other activities include vegetable trade fair to showcase various vegetables in the locality; poster-making contests on the importance of vegetables on the diet; parades or motorcades and the conduct of vegetable cooking contest. (JPA/NNC/PIA9-ZBST)