Extreme conditions of nutritional status which are under-nutrition and over-nutrition are nutrition problems of public health concern. Being underweight, increases risk of death and inhibits cognitive development in children, leading to less fit and unproductive adults. Even overweight and obesity are becoming a health hazard of equal concern since it has some deleterious effect on the health and work performance in later adult life.

Nutrition Situation Report 2016 (based on OPT Plus 2015) showed a continuing improvement in the nutritional status of pre-school children where prevalence rate of underweight (weight-for-age) has declined from 7.59% in 2011 to 5.58% in 2015 in a five-year period.

As of school-aged children the prevalence of wasting (weight-for-height) has declined from 15.84% in 2011 to 15.51% in 2015 (source: DepEd baseline 2015-2016). While the report shows a declining trend for both pre-school and school children, the problem of undernutrition is still widespread in the region.

Overweight among pre-school children is also decliningwhile in school children it shows a minimal increased. This is a cause of concern since the region manifest double-burden malnutrition.

Comparing the pre-school boys from the girls however, shows that there are more overweight boys (1.02%)compared to girls (0.83%).

The reduction in the prevalence of undernutrition is a manifestation of thecombined support and efforts of the Local Government Units (LGUs), Government, NGOs and other stakeholders who continue to promote good nutrition in the region and in the country.