ZAMBOANGA CITY (PIA) – The Zamboanga City Health Office and Nutrition Council reported a notable increase in the number of overweight children among preschool students in the city.
In 2023, the City Health Office (CHO) reported a 1.15% increase in overweight children. Conversely, there was a decrease of 2.87% in stunted children and a 1.24% decrease in wasted children, compared to 2022 figures of 3.20% and 1.50%, respectively. Barangay Tigtabon has the highest number of stunted and wasted children in the city.
The National Nutrition Council aims to educate individuals on the benefits of consuming a well-balanced diet, providing necessary nutrients for optimal health to combat malnutrition.
Nutrition Officer Rowena Pagotaisidro emphasized the importance of nutrition, especially for children, “the primary objective of celebrating nutrition month is to improve the nutritional status of Zamboangeños and to combat malnutrition,” she added.
The Nutrition School On-the-Air initiative will commence its third which aims to create public awareness and promote good nutrition practices through media platforms to reach a wider audience. During her interview, Pagotaisidro highlighted the significance of “Tamang Impormasyon Tungkol sa Nutrisyon” through information dissemination and educating the public on the value of nutrition in fighting malnutrition.
Moreover, barangay nutrition scholars play a vital role in monitoring and providing nutrition services within local communities. Operation Timbang is another program by the City Nutrition Council that monitors wasted, stunted, overweight, and underweight children in schools, particularly in geographically disadvantaged areas.
Combating malnutrition requires a multi-sectoral approach and a collaborative effort within the community and government to address malnutrition concerns, “by reaching a large segment of the population through radio and media, we can educate them and provide the right nutrition information. By working together, we can fight malnutrition in Zamboanga City,” Pagotaisidro added, encouraging all Zamboangueños to join the fight against malnutrition. (EDT/MLE/DBE-GIP/PIA Region 9-Zamboanga City)
