Malnutrition fallouts from the interplay of several factors with poor dietary intake, physical inactivity and disease.

Nutrition plays an essential role especially during the First 1000 days for a child’s development and the nation’s ability to succeed. The First 1,000 days between a woman’s pregnancy and her child’s 2nd birthday offers a unique window of opportunity to build a healthier and more thriving future. Once the first 1,000 days is neglected, it can cause irreversible damage to a child’s growing brain, which will later affect her ability to do well in school and earn a good living. It can also result in later obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases which can prime to a lifetime of health complications.

Recommended interventions to address the different types of malnutrition should be anchored in the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022. The Local Government Unit of Midsayap, Cotabato provided key services to improve their health and nutrition situation through their concrete programs which includes the distribution of supplementary feeding – eggs and milk to 115 nutritionally at-risk pregnant women of 57 barangays for three (3) months now. 400 wasted and severely wasted children aged 6-24 months were given multivitamins. The LGU also distributed eggs, manna packs, multivitamins and assorted vegetable seeds to 195 families with malnourished children aged 6-59 months. Adding, Ready to cook Rice-Mo were given to 131 wasted and severely wasted children. There were also provision of Iron-folic acid and other micronutrients supplementation to nutritionally at-risk pregnant women.

The National Nutrition Council will continue to protect and promote nutrition. LGUs are encourage to adapt the good nutrition practices of LGU – Midsayap.

It is good to know that there are increasing number of LGUs who adapted the First 1000 Days initiatives. Still, more efforts are needed especially among local government units to achieve better outcomes. (RAL/AMF/NPC)