PALO, LEYTE – Stunting is cyclical. Unless the cycle is snip, the number of stunting will still continue, National Nutrition Council (NNC) VIII Program Coordinator, Dr. Catalino P. Dotollo, Jr. shared during the special episode of the POPCOM’s Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) segment via FB Live held on 21 July 2020.
The special episode with the topic Adolescent and Nutrition provides greater awareness to teenage, parents or guardians and the community on the importance of nutrition and the intervention package under the First 1000 days program. Studies revealed that malnutrition is a multifaceted concern that needs multisectoral interventions. It results from the interplay of various factors with poor dietary intake, physical inactivity and disease as immediate causes and underpinning these immediate causes are underlying ones related to household food security, health services and environmental quality and care practices.
In the analyzed data from the 2015 National Nutrition Survey, World Bank Group shared the drivers of stunting in the Philippines. Accordingly, the study shows that drivers of stunting based on the detailed analysis are affected by factors before birth and factors after birth. It revealed further that stunting is likely to happen with poor maternal health and nutrition which will result in low birth weight babies and small for gestational age baby.
NPC Dotollo emphasized to erase taboos for adolescent who seeks consultation at the Rural Health Unit, instead offer them proper education and guide for proper planning as well as responsible parenting. Let the health facility be an avenue for the soon to be mothers to access different maternal health and nutrition services which can improve birth outcomes, NPC Dotollo added.
Based on the 2018 Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data pregnancies among very young adolescents (VYA), or those between 10 and 14 years old, continued to rise. POPCOM8 which leads the advocacy in Eastern Visayas has been very visible in sharing information especially during this pandemic.
The 2020 Nutrition Month theme “Batang Pinoy, SANA TALL... Iwas Stunting, SAMA ALL!” likewise stimulate national and local discourse on stunting to understand its causes and the multisectoral solutions for increased investments in interventions. #NASLabordo
