74% of Filipino kids aged 13-15 eat less veggies —WHO study

Three in every four Filipino children aged 13-15 years or 74 percent eat less than three portions of vegetables per day while more than one third or 38% drink at least one carbonated drink per day, according to a study by the World Health Organization as cited on "24 Oras" report by Joseph Morong.

A separate study by the United Nations Children's Fund said "poor diets are contributing to a triple burden of malnutrition with undernutrition, in the form of poor growth and micronutrient deficiencies, co existing with increasing rates of overweight."

In 2021, the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) found that almost 30 percent of Filipinos who are 16 to 19 years old are "stunted" or lack height for their age.  Around 20 percent of kids 13 to 15 years old, and 19 percent of kids 10 to 12 years old similarly lack height.

The study also said many of the children who are stunted come from the poorest of the poor families.

Meanwhile, the FNRI also said that 13 percent of children aged 10 to 19 years are obese or overweight.

"Hindi natin alam kung yung sobra sobrang pagkain ng mga overweight children ay ito yung talagang tamang sustansya na dapat nilang kunin sa kanilang pagkain," Imelda Angeles Agdeppa, FNRI director, said.

FNRI said it is closely coordinating with local government units to implement feeding programs to address the lack of nutrition among the diet of children.

UNICEF also recommended having locally-produced food that families can afford.  It also encouraged putting the nutritional value of food on the labels of packaged food and fastfood.  

The international body also proposes to strengthen the implementation of the Milk Code, giving subsidy for the production of healthy snacks and encouraging carinderias to sell nutritious food.—LDF, GMA Integrated News