NNC Central Luzon was delighted to have hosted and co-organized the Seminar on “The State of the Art of Obesity Research in the Philippines: Status and Gaps”. Holding the 2ndof its series, appreciation was extended to the Philippine Association on the Study of Overweight and Obesity (PASOO) for having considered partnering with the National Nutrition Council Regional Office in Central Luzon and prioritizing the region for the dissemination of the products of exhaustive search, review, consolidation and analysis of various researches on overweight and obesity.
The more than month-long invitation was favourably responded by seventy four (74) participants from the LGUs, government and private hospitals, professional organization and academe and this contributed to the success of the half-day seminar held at the Ephatha Development Center, SACOP, City of San Fernando, Pampanga on 20 February 2015.
Considerably, the seminar is in response to the challenge that the prevalence of overweight among schoolchildren while it has been continuously rising from 2008 to 2013 and has even gone up above the national level. Therefore, the research gaps and recommendations posed by the group of panellist based on the results of the review and analysis of existing researches and studies must be considered in planning and program management.
Highlights and summary of the various available researches were extensively discussed including the complications of overweight and obesity by Dr. Cecille de la Paz of the Philippine Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism and Dr. Jedeane M. Aragon of the PASOO. Analysis of the gaps, strengths and weaknesses, challenges and opportunities based on international and local researches was moderated byDr. Maria Luisa Cecilia R. Arkoncelwith a group of panelists headed by Dr. Marivic Alfaro of the Pampanga Medical Society and three others, namely:Dr. Lalaine Audrey Matitu-Untalan, a Pediatrician Endocrinologist, a Head of Newborn Screening Continuity Clinic from Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital, Ms. Margarita S. Natividad, a Regional Nutritionist-Dietitian from Regional Health Office III, Ms. Gloria G. Castillo, a Hospital Dietitian from the only Regional Hospital, Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital.
Dr. Rodolfo Florentino, the Vice President of PASOO closed the seminar through synthesizing the benefits derived from knowing what the research efforts have been done to set directions for future research attempts and innovations focused on four (4) categories, namely: a) identification of the most appropriate assessment methodology; b) comparison on the potential effect of modifiable factors; c) study on the importance of individual and community or public health management, and d) discovery of effective management.
Whereas, the Resource Persons, panelists and moderators are esteemed practitioners and specialists in the management of overweight and obesity and related conditions. NPC Panlilio challenged everyone at the start of the seminar with her statement “Let us prepare ourselves to be challenged, inspired and motivated”.
Loaded with learnings on where the country is along finding causes, effects and solutions to weight problems, the seminar brought Nutritionist-Dietitians and Nutrition Faculty, Nutrition Program Managers from seven (7) provinces and selected cities in the region.
