A typical face of malnutrition around the country. - Websitepic
LEGAZPI CITY: For nearly two
decades now, the province of Camarines Sur remains on top with regards to
prevalence of malnutrition cases in the Bicol region despite its much-vaunted
economic and tourism growth.
Data from the regional office of
the National Nutrition Council (NNC)
here show that the province of
CamSur ranked first with 40,607 underweight and severely underweight pre-schoolers
out of the 212,858 preschool children weighed last year. Of the total number,
3,334 preschool children were found to be overweight.
It was noted that the alarming
incidence of malnutrition cases in CamSur has been taking place since the
incumbency of former governor now House Representative Luis Villafuerte Sr,
until the incumbency of his son, Gov Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr, who is now on
his last term.
Based on the consolidated
nutritional status of pre-school children, “Operation Timbang 2011” results submitted by the different provincial
and city health offices of the six provinces and seven cities of the Bicol
Region to the National Nutrition Council (NNC) regional office, CamSur ranked
first with grave malnutrition problems.
Next to Camarines Sur, the second
province with highest cases of malnutrition is the island province of
Catanduanes with 5,586 out of 30,532 preschoolers weighed, followed by Masbate
with 19,931 out of 121,180 total preschoolers weighed.
The province of Albay ranked
fourth with 17,883 combined underweight and severely underweight out of 119,960
preschoolers weighed, followed by Sorsogon province with 10,499 malnourished
children out of 80,774 totally weighed.
Camarines Norte which ranked six
has the lowest number of malnourished chidren,17,883 out of 119,960 weighed.
Arlene R Reario, NNC nutrition
program coordinator said that the prevalence rate of malnutrition is determined
by the total number of underweight and severely underweight pre-school children
aged 0-17 months old.
The pre-school children’s
nutritional status is based on WHO-Child Growth Standard using the
weigh-for-age indicator.
There are 869,139 estimated
number of preschooler children in Bicol, where 783,385, or 90.13%.
At least 657,203 reported under
normal or with good nourishment condition while the combined undernourished and
severely underweight ran to a total of 116,477 pre-school children.
Reginon wide, the total number of
overweight preschoolers reached was posted at 9,705 or a prevalence rate of
1.24%.
The Philippine government is one
of the signatories of the 189 United Nations member countries that reaffirmed
their commitment to the millennium development goal of eradicating extreme
poverty and hunger in the next few years.
Records at the NNC show that Bicol seem to have failed or is failing in
addressing its malnutrition problem. – Bicol Mail
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