BARMM has highest incidence of food insecurity: DOST-FNRI

MANILA — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has the highest prevalence of food insecurity in the Philippines at 84 percent, according to a multi-year study done by the DOST-Food and Nutrition Research Institute.

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DOST-FNRI Director Imelda Agdeppa said other regions that recorded high food insecurity were the Caraga, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula and Bicol.

Agdeppa explained being food insecure means having limited access to nutritious and safe food.

“Ito po ay may level na kalubhaan o severity mula sa pangangamba na hindi ka magkakaroon ng sapat na pagkain – that’s actually worrying about food; at iyong pagbabawas ng dami o kalidad ng pagkain – that means to say, we are reducing the quantity and the quality of food to be consumed because wala talagang pagkain,” she said in a televised interview Thursday.

The official said the government has programs in place to make nutritious food more accessible to poor Filipinos, particularly in food insecure areas. This includes the conduct of supplemental feeding programs using nutritious bread made from vitamin-rich vegetables such as squash, sweet potato, and carrots.

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Agdeppa said the DOST-FNRI is also coordinating with the DSWD for the implementation of the food stamp program for the poorest Filipinos.

“Kami din po ang nagsabi sa kanila kung papaano nila hati-hatiin iyong P3,000 na ibinibigay natin sa mga tao para sa ganoon ay magkakaroon din sila ng tamang sustansiya, kahit man lang kaunti, at least naibsan natin ang hunger, para po ma-close natin kaunti iyong gap ng between intake at saka iyong kinakailangan ng katawan. So, kami din po ang kinunsulta nila,” she said.

But while poorer areas of the country suffer from the effects of food insecurity such as undernutrition leading to growth stunting, the DOST-FNRI noted that populations in highly-urbanized areas such as the National Capital Region which have a lower prevalence of food insecurity, meanwhile experience problems such as obesity or being overweight.

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“Kapag nakita din po natin the other side of the point, ang NCR at saka iyong mga ibang rehiyon na highly-urbanized cities, ito po iyong nagkakaroon ng medyo mababang food insecurity level, sila din po ay nagkakaroon ng overweight and obesity na problema. So, again, if we try to really look at the solution, it should be a holistic solution, so that we can actually solve the both, at the end to end spectrum,” she said.

The official noted that aside from eating nutritious food, having ample exercise is also important to prevent being overweight or obese.

"Kasi hindi lang naman talaga iyong formal exercise na pupunta sa gym and so on ang nakakapagpababa ng timbang. Ang problema kasi natin, kung obese o kaya overweight ang isang tao ay nagkakaroon po tayo ng higher probability ng magkaroon ng hypertension, magkakaroon ka ng mataas ang cholesterol mo, so maapektuhan iyong heart,” she said.

“So, iyon iyong problema na dapat talaga nating –kaya sinasabi po dapat holistic po iyong approach, may physical activity, may pagkain diyan, may tamang kantidad, may tamang quality ang dapat na sabihin po natin sa kanila.”

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