Pandemic causes an increase in the number of malnourished children
“Due to the ongoing pandemic, inevitably the nutrition of children is also affected”, City Nutrition Action Officer (CNAO) Nancy Adalin said, citing an increase in the number of malnourished children in the city of Koronadal. She further stated that with our current situation which already took for more than a year, the family’s economic activity is certainly suffered while the delivery of service providers was interrupted which indirectly the proper nutrition of children has been deprived as well.
Based on the data presented by the City Nutrition Office (CNO), out of a total of 17,435 with age 0-59 months old children that underwent Mass Operation Timbang (OPT), about 2.3% surge in underweight and severely underweight from 427 in 2020 to 437 in this year 2021. Thus, Adalin believed that this is the result of financial distress that contributes to poor nutrition.
Further, the nutritional status of 17,435 children ages 0-59 months old are as follows:
Meanwhile, among the 27 barangays, 10 have a high percentage of underweights and severely underweights children of 0-59 months old. The result is based on the monthly weight monitoring of identified underweights and severely underweights preschoolers.
Percentage of underweights and severely underweights children 0-59 months old
To reduce this problem if not completely be eradicated, Adalin affirmed that the city government is now intervening with a supplemental food feeding program for 90 days each year.
Aside from the feeding program, the CNO also conducted nutrition education classes and lectures on family planning attended by parents with learner’s children, pregnant and lactating women. Male parents were also encouraged to participate in the said activities because providing proper nutrition to children is not only the responsibility of mothers.
As the entire country commemorates the 47th Nutrition Month this July with a theme “Malnutrisyon patuloy na labanan, First 1,000 days tutukan”, the CNO conducted various activities simple yet useful in our daily living. This includes cooking demonstration of complementary feeding in 27 barangays participated by parents and learners; information and education dissemination on breastfeeding and young child feeding; vegetables seed distribution to families with underweight, severely underweight and stunted children; and the search for outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS).
According to Adalin the theme focuses on from mother’s pregnancy because her readiness is as important as her emotional state that will affect the child’s development. In addition, the baby’s 1,000th day should be given importance because it is considered as the most crucial stage to prevent malnourishment which can be led to various factors while growing like the possibility of being stunted.