This year’s celebration of Nutrition Month in July will carry the theme, “Malnutrisyon patuloy na labanan, First 1000 days tutukan!”. It accentuates the importance of good nutrition during the first 1000 days of the child’s life in preventing stunting and obesity.
Nutrition Month is celebrated every year to create greater awareness on the importance of nutrition among Filipinos. It is observed every July pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 491 signed on June 25, 1974 by then President Ferdinand Marcos. The National Nutrition Council was given the mandate to coordinate and lead this annual nationwide campaign.
This is not the first time that the Nutrition Month focuses on the first 1000 days of the child’s life. In 2016, this was also the theme of the celebration. This year, the NNC Technical Committee decided to have the first 1000 days as the central focus of the nutrition month celebration to underscore the importance of ensuring optimum nutrition during the child’s first 1000 days of life as a strategic way to prevent stunting and even obesity.
The First 1000 Days is said to be the “golden window of opportunity” for a comprehensive package of nutrition and related interventions to achieve significant reduction in under and overnutrition while contributing to optimal child development.
Through the NM celebration this year, the NNC is calling for a whole of society approach in scaling up nutrition in the First 1000 Days as required by Republic Act 11148 or the “Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag Nanay Act”.
The NNC enjoins everyone to participate and support the celebration of the nutrition month in July. Let us scale up critical actions in the first 1000 days of life. “Malnutrisyon patuloy na labanan, First 1000 days tutukan!”
Written by: NO I Joyce Ann P. Pardo and NPC Milagros Elisa V. Federizo
References:
