By Jund Rian A. Doringo
THE
7th National Nutrition Survey (NNS) by the Food and Nutrition Research
Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) revealed that
4.3 percent (or about 4 in every 100) of children (newborns to five-year-old)
are overweight for their age.
A
child is overweight-for-height if the weight is much greater than that of
normal children of the same height.
Although
the prevalence of overweight children belonging to this age group is still low,
it has been steadily increasing since 1989.
Some
of the regions with the highest prevalence of overweight children aged five
years and below include Ilocos (or Region 1) with 6.3 percent, the National
Capital Region (NCR) with 6.2 percent and Calabarzon (or Region IV-A) with 5.9
percent.
Unused
calories from excessive eating and sedentary lifestyle result in being
overweight. Overweight is one of the leading causes of lifestyle-related
diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, strokes, muscle and bone
disorders, and certain cancers.
A
study published in the American Journal of Nutrition in 2010 showed that 43
million
children, 35 million of whom are in developing countries, were
estimated to be overweight and obese, while 92 million more were at risk of
being overweight.
Worldwide
prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity increased from 4.2 percent in
1990 to 6.7 percent in 2010.
The 10th statement of the
Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (NGF), states: “For a healthy lifestyle
and good nutrition, exercise regularly, do not smoke. and avoid drinking alcoholic
beverages.”
The
NGFs are primary recommendations to achieve good health and proper nutrition of
Filipinos.
This
guideline aims to encourage people, as well as children, to engage in physical
activities through brisk walking, jogging or playing sports, and to turn away
from unhealthy vices such as smoking and excessive alcoholic beverage
consumption. (FNRI-DOST/PIA9/ALT)