Healthy diet should be observed even during emergencies. This was stressed by Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial as she challenged Filipinos to adopt healthy diet as a lifetime habit.
The health secretary made the call as the nation celebrates Nutrition Month this July.
With the theme “Healthy diet, gawing habit — For Life!”, this year’s Nutrition Month aims to raise public awareness to reduce both under-and overnutrition; and non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and diabetes.
Ubial said that during emergencies “proper infant and child feeding practices should be continued, exclusive breastfeeding of infants up to six months and complementary feeding for children up to two years and beyond should be practiced, abd breastfeeding mothers should receive adequate food and fluids.”
Ready to eat meals, like high energy/protein biscuits and healthy canned protein sources (sardines, tuna, beans, nuts, and seeds) are also important when no other food or cooking facility are available.
The National Nutrition Council (NNC) said that healthy diet means consuming food from different food groups in balance and in moderation.
Seven out of 10 Filipino households do not meet the dietary requirement they need for school, work, or home. This, NNC said, disrupts metabolic processes, physiological functions, and well-being of an individual.
The shift in the dietary pattern of Filipinos should also be addressed as consumption of fruits and vegetables has continued to decline in the past 35 years, according to the National Nutrition Surveys of FNRI-DOST.
“The DoH is calling in all Filipinos to turn away from unhealthy diets in favor of healthier foods,” Ubial said. (Jaimie Rose R. Aberia)
