The National Nutrition Survey (NNS) is a comprehensive survey being conducted by the Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) every five years since 1978. And in 2018, DOST-FNRI started the three-year field data collection of the Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS).
The 3-year rolling survey targets to survey 40 provinces and highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in 2019, which includes the provinces of Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental in Region 10. A dissemination forum was conducted per province via Zoom to share the survey results with the respective LGUs. The forum for Misamis Occidental was held last 29 October 2020, followed by the provinces of Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental on 3 November 2020 and Lanao del Norte on 18 November 2020. The provincial dissemination activities were facilitated by DOST-Provincial Science and Technology Centers, DOST-FNRI, with the assistance from NNC X.
Anthropometric data were among the highlights of the dissemination fora. It measures the prevalence of underweight, stunting, thinness, overweight and obesity.
Problem on stunting still persist in the Philippines. In Northern Mindanao, the 2019 ENNS results showed that the prevalence of stunting in the four provinces of Northern Mindanao remains a public health problem. Also, the report revealed that prevalence is consistent in all age groups in the province of Bukidnon.
Among under-five children (0-59 months old), 35.1% are stunted in the province of Bukidnon, which is classified as high public health significance based on the World Health Organization (WHO) cut-offs, along with Lanao del Norte (31.3%) and Misamis Oriental (31.1%). While Misamis Occidental is assessed as medium public health significance with 25.0%.
Among school-age children (5-10 years old), Bukidnon registered the highest prevalence of stunting at 35.5%, followed by Lanao del Norte at 31.6%, Misamis Oriental at 25.6% and Misamis Occidental at 21.5%.
In the adolescents (10-19 years old), 3 out of 10 are stunted in the provinces of Lanao del Norte (34.7%), Misamis Occidental (27.7%) and Misamis Oriental (30.4%) while 4 out 10 or 35.5% of adolescents are stunted in the province of Bukidnon.
The 2019 ENNS also shows that regardless of age, most stunted are among boys/males and in poor households.
Stunting is irreversible and a result of chronic or recurrent undernutrition which is usually associated with poverty, poor maternal health and nutrition and/or inappropriate feeding and care in early life. And it does not only affect the child's physiological and cognitive development but affects economic productivity as adults and growth as well.
Aside from the anthropometric indicators for children and other age groups, the data for biochemical, dietary, clinical and health, socio-economic, government program, food security, maternal and infant and young child feeding (IYCF) components were also reported in the ENNS.
The ENNS data aims to help the local government units (LGUs) to identify the problems in each life stage and will serve as a basis in crafting or re-direct their health and nutrition plans and interventions to address hunger and malnutrition problems, particularly stunting, in their respective provinces.
During the dissemination fora held by FNRI, NPC Gladys Mae Fernandez calls for intensified nutrition actions and commitments of LGUs to address malnutrition in the province aligned with the PPAN targets. She emphasized that malnutrition is a multi-faceted problem that cannot be solved by a single program and sector. It entails collaboration with partners and stakeholders to achieve a well-nourished children and eventually productive citizenry of Northern Mindanao. (NO I Arlie Joy O. Damiles)
References:
Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research Institute. 2019 Expanded National Nutrition Survey. http://enutrition.fnri.dost.gov.ph/site/presentation.php?year=2019
World Health Organization. Malnutrition. https://www.who.int/health-topics/malnutrition#tab=tab_1
World Health Organization. 2014. WHA Global Nutrition Targets 2025: Stunting Policy Brief. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/globaltargets_stunting_policybrief.pdf
