One of the population groups most affected by COVID-19 are the school children. Various studies in other countries have shown that the COVID-19 lockdown has worsen the overweight and obesity problem among adults and even in children. The ongoing community quarantine, work-from-home set-up and distance learning scheme have promoted unhealthy eating and sedentary lifestyle. This scenario is expected to be true to the Philippines as well.
In a meeting with the health and nutrition coordinators of Schools Division Offices (SDO) in NCR and DepEd-NCR held on June 8, 2021, it was found out that implementation of some nutrition activities was stopped in 2020 such as the school weighing and provision of weekly iron-folic acid supplementation in some divisions. On the other hand, some activities were continued with modification but were implemented later in the year or during the early months of 2021 such as the School-Based Feeding Program, Gulayan sa Paaralan, and WASH in Schools Program or Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene.
NNC-NCR Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator, Milagros Elisa V. Federizo emphasized the presence of double burden of malnutrition amongst school children: wasting and overweight and obesity as observed in the school weighing data for SY 2019-2020 presented during the meeting. She also emphasized the importance of good nutrition among learners.
“Good nutrition of school children is needed for positive cognitive development, good performance in school and strengthened immune system to fight off diseases and infection,” RNPC Federizo said.
SDOs are encouraged to work together with the LGUs and other stakeholders in implementing and or sustaining nutrition and nutrition-related interventions for school children. She hopes that despite the many challenges brought about by the pandemic, DepEd-NCR and the SDOs will be able to engage the school children, their parents, and other stakeholders in nutrition programs aimed at improving the nutritional status of school children.
Written by: NOII Theresa A. Rivas and NPC Milagros Elisa V. Federizo
