The National Capital Region (NCR), commonly known as Metro Manila is the center of culture, economy, education, and government of the Philippines. Designated as a global power city, NCR exerts a significant impact on commerce, finance, education, technology, media, art, fashion, research, and entertainment, both locally and internationally. Despite its highly urbanized state, NCR suffers the effects of malnutrition. In fact, the region has a double burden of malnutrition in the form of undernutrition and overnutrition (overweight and obesity) affecting both children and adults. (Regional Plan of Action Nutrition 2019-2022, NCR)
Faced with the challenge of double of malnutrition, the City/District Nutrition Program Coordinators (C/DNPC) of Metro Manila Association aims to promote ways on achieving good health in a highly urbanized setting such as Metro Manila, thus, became the focus of the 33rd Annual C/DNPC Regional Conference with the theme “Being healthy in the city – Making it possible!” held on November 23, 2018 at the Century Park Hotel, Malate, Manila. The conference conducted in partnership with the National Nutrition Council – National Capital Region (NNC-NCR) was attended by 117 C/DNPCs together with guests and partners from NGOs, hospital and academe.
Resource speakers who are experts in their respective fields were invited to discuss the following topics: 1.) Overweight and Obesity in Metro Manila: A Growing Public Health Problem” (Ms. Milagros Elisa V. Federizo, Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator, NNC-NCR); 2) Physical Activity and Exercise for Better Health (Mr. John Bench T. Ortiz, Fitness Professional, Gold’s Gym Philippines); 3) The Truth About Fad Diets: What You Need to Know (Ms. Ma. Eloisa E. Villaraza, Manager, Nutrition Support Unit, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital – EMHMC); 4) Nutrition Coaching and Counseling Techniques in Promoting Healthy Change (Ms. Ma. Nenita C. Umali, Owner, NutriHub Philippines); and 5) Nourishing the Mind and Spirit for Health and Happiness (Dr. Julie-Ann Marie Bernice P. Pacis, Holistic Health Advocate and Mentor, Health Geek MD).
Through the one-day conference, participants were informed on the current overweight and obesity situation in Metro Manila and were updated on overweight and obesity prevention and control, fad diets and their effects on health and nutrition, effective counseling and coaching techniques for healthy behavior change, and were motivated to be healthy in mind and spirit.
In her keynote message, Regional Director of the Department of Health – NCRO Dr. Corazon I. Flores recognized hunger, undernutrition and overweight and obesity as major health and nutrition problems in the country that should be addressed. “Many people are suffering from hunger and malnutrition and we have a big role as health and nutrition workers in helping people live healthy especially those in the city. What we want for our country is for all Filipinos to be food-secure and have a long and satisfied life. This can be achieved through proper nutrition,” Dr. Flores said.
Living healthy in the city is possible but how to do it is our challenge. “We need to have self-discipline and start the change in ourselves. We have to be responsible and ensure that we have good health while living in the city. We should eat a balanced diet and have physical activity. Lastly, we should be responsible in educating people on proper nutrition especially female adolescents and pregnant and lactating women. Proper nutrition should be provided during the first 1000 days of the child. They should be provided with a caring and loving environment and be protected from diseases,” Dr. Flores added.
(TAR/NPC MEVF/NNC-NCR)
