HEALTHY EATING HABITS

What Are Healthy Eating Habits?

Incorporating healthy eating habits is crucial for overall well-being, and simple changes
can yield significant health benefits without resorting to trendy diets or expensive
supplements. As a registered dietitian, I emphasize easy-to-follow tips.
1. Have a rainbow. Every fruit and vegetable have a variety of colors that are based on
various minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals, and antioxidants.
2. Try new food items. We seem to eat the same foods repeatedly. This limits our
nutritional range. Be adventurous.
3. Pay attention to your food. Mindful eating is paying more attention to how you
eat, being more present to make better food choices.
4. Eat slowly. Rest before taking a bite and chew slowly.
5. Discover better ways to manage stress and anxiety. Stress eating is
eventually a bad habit for many people. By discovering other ways to cope with stress
and anxiety, you’ll slowly stop turning to food for comfort.
6. Go through the ingredient information. The only way you’ll finally cut back on
added sugar or eat less sodium, whatever your specific healthy-eating ambition, is if you
know what’s in the food you’re consuming.
7. Cook more eat more. The best way to know what’s in your food? By making it
yourself.
8. Develop a daily routine. This way, you click into doing it even when you don’t
feel like it,” Albers says. Eat meals around the same times every day, or dedicate Sunday
mornings to meal prep.
9. Enter your kitchen again. Put treats out of sight and off the counter.
10. Don’t leave yourself starving. By planning out meals and snacks throughout the
day, you can prevent this from happening.

The RENI
• RENI, or Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intake, refers to the daily dietary
guidelines based on an individual's age, sex, and physical activity level. It ensures a
balanced intake of nutrients for optimal health.
• To utilize RENI guidelines in healthy eating habits, one should:
 1. Calculate Daily Energy and Nutrient Requirements
2. Plan Meals
3. Monitor Intake
4. Consume a Balanced Diet
5. Plan Meals Ahead
6. Keep a Food Diary
7. Use Nutrition Tracking Apps
• Nutrition facts are the tabular figure normally found at the back of food packaging,
indicating the number of calories, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and micronutrients in a
food product.

Health Related Concerns About Nutrition

• Mental health disorders encompass a range of conditions affecting mood, behavior,
and thinking.
• Anemia is a condition characterized by a deficiency of red blood cells or
hemoglobin in the blood, resulting in reduced oxygen delivery to tissues.
• Undernutrition (Wasting or Stunting) occurs when the body doesn't receive
enough nutrients to maintain proper growth, development, and function. Wasting
refers to a decrease in body weight, while stunting refers to a decrease in height, both
of which can occur due to insufficient calorie and nutrient intake.
• Overweight refers to having excess body weight, while obesity is characterized by
excessive accumulation of body fat.
• Digestive disorders encompass a range of conditions affecting the gastrointestinal
tract, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease
(GERD), and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) like Crohn's disease and ulcerative
colitis.
• Cardiovascular disease refers to conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels,
including coronary artery disease, heart failure, and stroke.
• High blood pressure occurs when the force of blood against the artery walls is
consistently too high.
• Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition characterized by high blood sugar levels
due to insulin resistance or impaired insulin production.
• Cancer refers to a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and
spread of abnormal cells.
• Osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by decreased bone density and
increased risk of fractures.
Government Agencies Concerned About Health And Nutrition
• Department of Health (DOH): The DOH is the primary agency responsible for
public health in the Philippines. It formulates policies, plans, and programs related to
health and nutrition.
• National Nutrition Council (NNC): The NNC is the lead agency for nutrition in
the Philippines. It coordinates, integrates, and monitors nutrition programs and
activities across different sectors.
• Food & Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI): The FNRI is the research arm of
the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in the Philippines. It conducts
studies and provides scientific information on nutrition and food- related issues.
• Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA): The FDA is the regulatory
agency responsible for ensuring the safety, quality, and efficacy of food, drugs, and
health products in the Philippines.
• Department of Agriculture (DA): The DA is responsible for promoting
agricultural development in the Philippines, including ensuring food security and
proper nutrition.

Laws Regarding Health And Nutrition

• Presidential Decree 491 of 1974 or the Nutrition Act of the Philippines.
Created the National Nutrition Council (NNC)
• Presidential Decree 1569. Strengthens the Barangay Nutrition Program by providing
for a Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS) in every barangay
• Letter of Instruction 441 of 1976. Instructs various departments of government to
address malnutrition.
• Salt Iodization Law (Republic Act 8172). The cost-effective preventive measure of
salt iodization.
• Food Fortification Law (Republic Act 8976). Provides for the establishment of the
Philippine Food Fortification Programs and its implementing rules, regulation and
guidelines.
• Philippine Milk Code (Executive Order 51). Regulates the marketing of infant milk
formula, other milk products, foods and beverages, as well as feeding bottles and teats.
• Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act – First 1000 Days Law (Republic
Act 11148). Mandates the national agencies to develop and implement a comprehensive
strategy to address the health and nutrition.
• Universal Health Care Act (Republic Act 11223). Ensure that all Filipinos are
health literate, provided with healthy living conditions.
References:
https://fnri.dost.gov.ph/index.php/15-fnri-home/2-about-us

https://owwamember.com/doh-department-of-health/

https://www.da.gov.ph/about-us/mandate/

https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/what-we- do#:~:text=FDA%20is%20responsible%20for
%20advancing,maintain%20and%2 0improve%20their%20health

https://www.nnc.gov.ph/about-us

https://www.nnc.gov.ph/enabling-national-laws-and-issuances-on-nutrition

Prepared By:

Abadies, Colin
Abedijos, Katherine
Aquilino, Jhemarex
Bayani, Althea Mae
Daungcay, Daniel Jey