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More Filipino children face chronic malnutrition

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ABS-CBN News

MANILA - The number of Filipino children suffering from chronic malnutrition continues to increase, recent data showed, despite government efforts to address hunger and poverty through a conditional cash transfer (CCT) program.Data from the 2015 Updating of the Nutritional Status of Filipino Children by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) showed that the chronic malnutrition rate among children aged 0 to 2 years old is now at 26.2%.The lowest chronic malnutrition rate in recent years was recorded in 2008, at 20.9%.Chronic malnutrition has been said to be the primary cause of stunting among children, according to a report by Save the Children.&quot;Save the Children knows that the first 2 years of life is considered the critical &#x27;window of opportunity&#x27; for a child&#x27;s optimal growth and development. Any damage caused by stunting or chronic malnutrition during this period is irreversible,&quot; said Dr. Amado Parawan, the group&#x27;s health and nutrition advisor, in a statement.READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/09/04/15/bakit-bansot-pinoys-not-genetically-short-report-says">Bakit bansot? Pinoys not genetically short, report says</a><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/nation2/04/19/table1.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Trends in the prevalence of malnutrition among children, 0-2 years old (0-24 months). Philippines, 1989-2015. Source: FNRI-DOST</div></figcaption></figure></div>Overall chronic malnutrition among children under 5 years old has also significantly increased to 33.5% from 30.5% in 2013.In terms of wasting, meanwhile, where a child suffers starvation and illness, there has been almost no progress in the national data: from 7.9% in 2013 to 7.1% in 2015.Wasting, or when a child&#x27;s weight is below that for his height, is the &quot;most severe form&quot; of undernutrition because a child&#x27;s internal organs are affected and bodily functions are impaired, according to Parawan.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/nation2/04/19/table2.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Trends in the prevalence of malnutrition among children, 0-5.0 years old (0-60 months): Philippines, 1989-2015. Source: FNRI-DOST</div></figcaption></figure></div>Save the Children stressed the need to double efforts to ensure that nutrition-related policies and programs reach the &quot;most vulnerable.&quot; The group noted that children born to the poorest mothers are thrice likely to suffer from stunting.The government has been implementing the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the aim of which is to mitigate poverty by addressing high hunger rates and drop-out cases in schools.Under the 4Ps, qualified poor families receive a P500 monthly health grant and P300 to 500 monthly educational assistance until their children finish high school.According to Save the Children, it is crucial that malnutrition is given importance especially in the upcoming May 9 national elections.&quot;New global health targets (World Health Assembly and Sustainable Development Goals) cannot be achieved without sustained political will and increased nutrition investments in the &#x27;First 1000 Days,&#x27;&quot; said Ned Olney, the group&#x27;s country director.READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/halalan2016/focus/03/05/16/sws-80-pct-of-voters-would-probably-vote-for-candidate-advocating-4ps">SWS: 80 pct of voters &#x27;would probably vote&#x27; for candidate advocating 4Ps</a>Save the Children recently launched a Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) project in Metro Manila, which aims to treat and rehabilitate children suffering from severe and moderate acute malnutrition.The group stresses the need enhance the delivery of quality nutrition interventions in the first 1,000 days of life to prevent stunting among children.It also calls for focus on maternal nutrition, noting that mothers need as much health care as the child before, during and after childbirth.&quot;Save the Children is renewing its call to end this unacceptable reality. We are calling future leaders of the country to tackle and commit to the issue of child hunger and malnutrition,&quot; the group added.

MANILA - The number of Filipino children suffering from chronic malnutrition continues to increase, recent data showed, despite government efforts to address hunger and poverty through a conditional cash transfer (CCT) program.