“Making Healthy Eating Affordable for All” – this is the theme of Nutrition Month which takes place every July, in accordance with Presidential Decree 491 of 1974, to raise awareness to the importance of nutrition.
This year’s theme reminds us that keeping citizens healthy requires the cooperation of all sectors of society – government and the private sector, including non-governmental organizations.
The activities of many groups led by the Nutrition Council of the Philippines this month will focus on the importance of nutrition in raising healthy citizens, especially the next generation of healthy Filipinos. A healthy body nurtures a good mind to acquire knowledge and skills that will contribute to the economic development of the country.
According to the World Health Organization, “healthy diets throughout life help prevent malnutrition in all its forms as well as a range of noncommunicable diseases and conditions (NCDs). »
A healthy diet includes fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains (at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables per day); less than 10 percent of total energy intake comes from free sugars and less than 30 percent from fats; and less than 5 grams of salt (the equivalent of about a teaspoon) per day, according to the WHO.
Making fruits, vegetables and protein sources affordable requires government action and support from the private sector. For example, finding ways for supply to come directly from producers can reduce prices. Additionally, the availability of information on creative recipes for nutritious foods from the season’s abundant produce can bring the Nutrition Month slogan closer to reality.
The key messages of the Nutrition Month campaign are simple: introduce children to a healthy diet with exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months, and continue breastfeeding up to two years and beyond with appropriate supplement. Eat a variety of unprocessed or minimally processed foods, balanced across food groups, while limiting highly processed foods and drinks. Maintain vegetable gardens as an additional source of food. And buy from local farmers.
Highly processed foods and drinks fall under the umbrella of “junk food” which lacks nutritional value and can lead to diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Recently, the government revealed plans to tax junk food and sugary drinks, which would lead to an increase in prices and a reduction in their consumption. The Nutrition Month campaign also calls for “reducing the availability of unhealthy foods through taxation, marketing restrictions and consumer education.”
“The 2021 Expanded National Nutrition Survey showed that 33.4 percent and 2 percent of Filipino households suffer from moderate and severe food insecurity, respectively. Among them, 35 percent of respondents said they had been unable to eat healthy and nutritious foods in the past year. The same survey found that nine out of ten people across all age groups were unable to meet 100 percent of the recommended energy intake,” according to the NNC.
Mobilizing various sectors during Nutrition Month will draw attention to the need for improved food and nutrition security interventions. It calls on policymakers to increase the availability of nutritious foods by providing subsidies, reformulating products and improving food value chains.
If there is anything you, or your organization, can do to help make healthy eating affordable, let it be your investment in the next generation.
