Post by Forum Moderator / Kaskasero on Jul 17, 2008 15:20:26 GMT 8
Next generations will be either too fat or too thin
By : Cai U. Ordinario | Business Mirror
17 July 2008 | 8:48 AM
Future generations of Filipinos will be at risk for various vitamin deficiencies as the number of pregnant women who are nutritionally at-risk increases, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).
NSCB executive director Romulo Virola said that based on the results of the National Nutrition Survey (NNS), 28 in every 100 pregnant women, or around 28.4 percent, are nutritionally at-risk in 2005. This is higher than the 26.6 percent recorded in 2003.
“Good nutrition leads to decreases in still births, prematurity and congenital malformations. But statistics show that Nanay [mother] is not getting proper nutrition. If the proportion of nutritionally at-risk pregnant women continues to increase in the coming years, more Pinoy babies will also be at risk,” Virola said in his latest online column “Statistically Speaking.”
Based on the NNS, the usual one-day food consumption of pregnant Filipino women amounts to 810 grams, comprised largely of rice and rice products at 29.5 percent; fish and fish products, 16 percent; and vegetables, 12.1 percent.
Virola said the rice-fish-vegetable diet, which is already 57.6 percent of a pregnant woman’s mean one-day intake, leaves a small amount for other food groups needed for a pregnant woman’s proper nutrition, such as milk and milk products, which should compose 6.4 percent, and fruits, 8.8 percent.
In a pregnant women’s diet, Virola said energy and protein intake is only 78.4-percent and 84.7 percent adequate, respectively. Iron, which is also important for maternal blood volume and iron stores of the baby, is only 28.8 percent adequate, while riboflavin intake is even less than half of the requirements at 48.1 percent.
Virola added that pregnant women’s mean intakes of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and thiamin are all less than 80 percent, indicating poor diet among pregnant women.
The prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) among pregnant women was also very high at 43.9 percent in 2003. This, however, is lower than the 50.5 percent prevalence rate in 1998.
The prevalence rate of Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) of 17.5 percent in 2003 is, likewise, lower compared to the 1998 rate of 22.2 percent, but is still higher than the cut-off point of 15-percent set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In pregnant women, VAD causes night blindness and may increase the risk of maternal mortality while anemic mothers predispose infants to anemia.
“It is sad to note that pregnant women are not eating enough and not eating the right food when they must. The nutritional status of pregnant women in the country is a public-health problem,” Virola said.
“Could this be the reason why our young Pinoys [Filipinos] are no longer performing in school as well as we used to?” he added.
In general, the NSCB said Filipinos are losing the ability to strike a balance in their daily food and dietary requirements as the number of underweight adolescents and the number of overweight children, adolescents, and adults are increasing.
Virola said general statistics reveal that the increase in this trend is a cause for deep concern, particularly because of the Philippines’ commitment to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly those that focus on nutrition.
“In general, statistics show that there is an increasing trend in the proportion of underweight adolescents and an increasing trend in the proportion of overweight children, adolescents and adults. I hope this trend does not continue, otherwise magiging lahi tayo ng mga payatot and tabachoy [we will be a race of thin and fat people],” Virola said.
He said the NNS showed that the prevalence of underweight adolescents, or those aged 11 to 19 years, slightly increased from 15.5 percent in 2003 to 16 percent, respectively, in 2005.
The NNS also showed that overweight children aged 0 to 5 years continued to increase from 1998 to 2005; while overweight school-age children or those 6 to 10 years old also increased from 1996 to 2005.
Virola noted that the pattern of being overweight extends to older Filipinos because since 1993, the proportion of overweight adolescents or those 11 to 19 years old has increased reaching 4.8 percent in 2005.
The number of overweight/obese Filipino adults, the NNS showed, has also been increasing from 1993, reaching 24 percent in 2003, with relatively more females being overweight or around 27.3 percent than males, 20.9 percent.
Besides the body mass index, waist circumference (WC) is another measure of the amount of body fat or adipose tissue. In this case, the term “Android Obesity” is used as an indicator of risks to noncommunicable diseases.
Virola said the proportion of adults with WCs greater than the WHO threshold was 2.4 percent among male adults but 17 percent among female adults in 2003. Compared to 1998, the proportion among male adults is lower by 0.3 percentage point while that of female adults is higher by 6.3 percentage points.
“Both sexes show increases in the prevalence of overweight/obese, with female adults having the highest percentage-point increase of 8.7 from 1993 to 2003. Does this mean that Dabiana, Donya Buding and Kim Sam Soon are leaving their bellyprints in the sands of time?” Virola asked.
By : Cai U. Ordinario | Business Mirror
17 July 2008 | 8:48 AM
Future generations of Filipinos will be at risk for various vitamin deficiencies as the number of pregnant women who are nutritionally at-risk increases, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).
NSCB executive director Romulo Virola said that based on the results of the National Nutrition Survey (NNS), 28 in every 100 pregnant women, or around 28.4 percent, are nutritionally at-risk in 2005. This is higher than the 26.6 percent recorded in 2003.
“Good nutrition leads to decreases in still births, prematurity and congenital malformations. But statistics show that Nanay [mother] is not getting proper nutrition. If the proportion of nutritionally at-risk pregnant women continues to increase in the coming years, more Pinoy babies will also be at risk,” Virola said in his latest online column “Statistically Speaking.”
Based on the NNS, the usual one-day food consumption of pregnant Filipino women amounts to 810 grams, comprised largely of rice and rice products at 29.5 percent; fish and fish products, 16 percent; and vegetables, 12.1 percent.
Virola said the rice-fish-vegetable diet, which is already 57.6 percent of a pregnant woman’s mean one-day intake, leaves a small amount for other food groups needed for a pregnant woman’s proper nutrition, such as milk and milk products, which should compose 6.4 percent, and fruits, 8.8 percent.
In a pregnant women’s diet, Virola said energy and protein intake is only 78.4-percent and 84.7 percent adequate, respectively. Iron, which is also important for maternal blood volume and iron stores of the baby, is only 28.8 percent adequate, while riboflavin intake is even less than half of the requirements at 48.1 percent.
Virola added that pregnant women’s mean intakes of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and thiamin are all less than 80 percent, indicating poor diet among pregnant women.
The prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) among pregnant women was also very high at 43.9 percent in 2003. This, however, is lower than the 50.5 percent prevalence rate in 1998.
The prevalence rate of Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) of 17.5 percent in 2003 is, likewise, lower compared to the 1998 rate of 22.2 percent, but is still higher than the cut-off point of 15-percent set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In pregnant women, VAD causes night blindness and may increase the risk of maternal mortality while anemic mothers predispose infants to anemia.
“It is sad to note that pregnant women are not eating enough and not eating the right food when they must. The nutritional status of pregnant women in the country is a public-health problem,” Virola said.
“Could this be the reason why our young Pinoys [Filipinos] are no longer performing in school as well as we used to?” he added.
In general, the NSCB said Filipinos are losing the ability to strike a balance in their daily food and dietary requirements as the number of underweight adolescents and the number of overweight children, adolescents, and adults are increasing.
Virola said general statistics reveal that the increase in this trend is a cause for deep concern, particularly because of the Philippines’ commitment to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly those that focus on nutrition.
“In general, statistics show that there is an increasing trend in the proportion of underweight adolescents and an increasing trend in the proportion of overweight children, adolescents and adults. I hope this trend does not continue, otherwise magiging lahi tayo ng mga payatot and tabachoy [we will be a race of thin and fat people],” Virola said.
He said the NNS showed that the prevalence of underweight adolescents, or those aged 11 to 19 years, slightly increased from 15.5 percent in 2003 to 16 percent, respectively, in 2005.
The NNS also showed that overweight children aged 0 to 5 years continued to increase from 1998 to 2005; while overweight school-age children or those 6 to 10 years old also increased from 1996 to 2005.
Virola noted that the pattern of being overweight extends to older Filipinos because since 1993, the proportion of overweight adolescents or those 11 to 19 years old has increased reaching 4.8 percent in 2005.
The number of overweight/obese Filipino adults, the NNS showed, has also been increasing from 1993, reaching 24 percent in 2003, with relatively more females being overweight or around 27.3 percent than males, 20.9 percent.
Besides the body mass index, waist circumference (WC) is another measure of the amount of body fat or adipose tissue. In this case, the term “Android Obesity” is used as an indicator of risks to noncommunicable diseases.
Virola said the proportion of adults with WCs greater than the WHO threshold was 2.4 percent among male adults but 17 percent among female adults in 2003. Compared to 1998, the proportion among male adults is lower by 0.3 percentage point while that of female adults is higher by 6.3 percentage points.
“Both sexes show increases in the prevalence of overweight/obese, with female adults having the highest percentage-point increase of 8.7 from 1993 to 2003. Does this mean that Dabiana, Donya Buding and Kim Sam Soon are leaving their bellyprints in the sands of time?” Virola asked.