By Roan Angela Garcia Rillon of PAN-AP

The Philippines has recently experienced the misfortunes of the simultaneous occurrence of under- and overnutrition. How did we transition from the double-trouble to the triple burden? Poor diet, food insecurity, and physical inactivity-- all of these factors contributed significantly to this quandary that the country is facing.

The triple burden of malnutrition (TBM) is the coexistence of the forms of undernutrition (wasting, underweight, and stunting), overnutrition (overweight or obesity), and micronutrient deficiency. This condition places the survival, growth, and development of children, young people, economies, and nations in a perilous state. Recent studies have shown that TBM can be traced back to the care and feeding practice among children in their First 1,000 Days of life. In the Philippines, this is exhibited by the none to minimal decreasing prevalence of Stunting in children under five years of age, an indication of chronic malnutrition. Currently, 1 out of 3 Filipino children suffers from Stunting.

It is under this understanding that the National Nutrition Council (NNC) is making every effort to address TBM through the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022, a framework for improving the nutrition situation in the country, with focus on optimal nutrition in the First 1000 Days of Life. The First 1000 Days of Life (F1KD), also known as the "Golden Window of Opportunity," covers the period of conception up until the child's two years of age. This is a critical period for the development of human life because it is during this period that development foundations are established. Furthermore, new evidence suggests that non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension and stroke have origins as early as pregnancy and that food preferences that influence lifelong eating habits are predicted in the womb.

Good nutrition during F1KD plays a fundamental role in a child's growth, learning, and development. The nutritional status of women during conception and pregnancy and the nutritional status of their children in the first two years after birth affects the short-term and long-term health of their offspring, including long-term chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. After a child is born, due to rapid physical and cognitive development, there is a tremendous demand for nutrition in the first two years of life. During this period, suboptimal infant feeding increases their risk of malnutrition, infection and poor general health and development. Even worse, many studies have shown that any adverse effect of malnutrition to the child’s growth and development, such as stunting and cognitive retardation, are already irreversible after the First 1,000 Days of a child’s life.

When a child cannot get all the nutrients the body needs, his growth and development will ultimately be affected, especially in the first few years. And it will not take long for this to have a catastrophic impact. Poor nutrition during this time can have irreparable effects on a child's physical and psychological development, influencing a child's school performance, productivity, and ability to earn as an adult, and so impacting a person's quality of life.

There is still so much we can do to prevent the catastrophic effects of malnutrition to the economic productivity and progress from happening. A research in Guatemala showed that nutritional interventions have significantly improved adult human capital and economic productivity. This provides a strong case for improving the nutrition of pregnant women and young children in low-income countries.

But as with every action, it must begin with the awareness. It is therefore important for every parent, household, and community to recognize that good nutrition can help maximize a child’s ability to grow, learn, and develop, which profoundly affects their health, well-being, and success later in adulthood. What happens to the mother and child during this stage in life has a lifelong impact on health and well-being of the individual and the country. Ultimately, the awareness that the quality of nutrition during the First 1000 Days of a child can significantly impact national and global development goals, can become a powerful thing that ignites positive outcomes for global economy.

References:

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Innocenti, R. O. O. U.-. (2013, April 12). The first 1,000 days of life: The brain’s window of opportunity. Retrieved July 27, 2021, from https://www.unicef-irc.org/article/958-the-first-1000-days-of-life-the-brains-window-of-opportunity.html

Malnutrition. (2020, May 15). Retrieved July 26, 2021, from https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/malnutrition

Martorell R. (2017). Improved nutrition in the first 1000 days and adult human capital and health. American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council, 29(2), 10.1002/ajhb.22952. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.22952

McGuire, W.; Dyson, L.; Renfrew, M. 2010. “Maternal Obesity: Consequences for Children, Challenges for Clinicians
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Mercy Corps. (2016, October 5). The first 1,000 days: No time for malnutrition. Retrieved July 27, 2021, from https://www.mercycorps.org/blog/first-1000-days-malnutrition

UNICEF. (2019, October 16). UNICEF: Many children and adolescents in the Philippines are not growing up healthily. Retrieved July 26, 2021, from https://www.unicef.org/philippines/press-releases/unicef-many-children-and-adolescents-philippines-are-not-growing-healthily

National Nutrition Council. 2021 Nutrition Month Talking Points. Retrieved from https://www.nnc.gov.ph/nutrition-month-materials

Image Source: www.thousanddays.org