ILOILO CITY– The revised 2012 Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (NGF) was finally launched in the region signaling the start of a massive promotion for the messages.

“This hammers the idea that we now have a set of guidelines focusing on the nutrition situation of Filipinos,” Assistant Secretary of Health Maria-Bernardita T. Flores, CESO II and the Executive Director IV of National Nutrition Council said in her keynote message during the launching, December 19.

The NGF contains 10 messages not only for good nutrition but also for health and well-being of the Filipinos who are enjoined to practice them, Flores added.

These messages include:

• Eat a variety of foods everyday to get the nutrients needed by the body.
• Breastfeed infants exclusively from birth up to six months then  give complementary foods while continuing breastfeeding for two years and beyond for optimum growth and development.
• Eat more vegetables and fruits everyday to get the essential vitamins, minerals and fiber for regulation of the body.
• Consume fish, lean meat, poultry, egg, dried beans, or nuts daily for growth and repair of body tissues.
• Consume milk, milk products and other calcium-rich foods, such as small fish, and shellfish everyday for healthy bones and teeth.
• Consume safe foods and water to prevent diarrhea and other food and water-borne diseases.
• Use Iodized Salt to prevent Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD).
• Limit intake of salty, fried, fatty and sugar rich foods to prevent cardiovascular diseases.
• Attain normal body weight through proper diet and moderate physical activity to prevent obesity and maintain good health.
• Be physically active, make healthy food choices manage stress, avoid alcoholic beverage and do not smoke to help prevent lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases.

The launching was done during the Regional Awarding of Best Performing Nutrition Scholars and Municipalities and the Culminating Activity of Nutrition Month.

In the same launching, the participants joined in unison as they pledged to end hunger and malnutrition and a commitment not to waste rice, in celebration of the Year of Rice.

The pledge to end hunger and malnutrition according to Department of Health-6 Director Marlyn Convocar enjoins the Filipinos to promote and support breastfeeding, encourages families to have home and community vegetable gardens, not to waste food especially rice, to share their food with the hunger, and, spread correct information about nutrition and hunger.