{

NUTRITION {
Jerreca Dasas
 Nutrition (Magtubo, 2017)
Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition
The PPAN 2017-2022 is a results-based plan
of action to stem the progression and improve
Filipino problems on nutrition such as wasting,
stunting, micronutrient deficiencies and
overweight/obesity. PPAN is a response to a
landscape situational analysis of nutrition in the
country which indicated that malnutrition in
various grounds remained high, according to the
NNC.
The nutrition plan is crucial in the attainment
of the United Nations-established Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), which calls for
ending hunger, achievement of food security, and
improved nutrition. The plan of action is likewise a
Anggota 5
part of the Philippine Development Plan.
 According to a 2015 National Nutrition Survey
supervised by the Food and Nutrition Research
Institute (FNRI), 33.4 percent (3.8 million) of
children were suffering from growth stunting while
7.1 percent (807.057) are wasted. While these are
commonly-cited problems when mentioning
“malnutrition,” the NNC also mentioned they need
to counter overweight and obesity problems
among Filipino adults.
UNICEF, in 2016, noted that the Philippines,
along with Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, is
facing the double burden of malnutrition. Obesity
rate among children aged below 5 years escalated
Malnutrition in to about 400 percent from a mere 1 percent in
various forms 1992. The rise is highly attributed to diet that is
high in processed ingredients, sugar and fat, as
well as a sedentary lifestyle.
 The Philippine Association for the Study of
Overweight and Obesity Inc (PASOO) in 2014 noted
that 3 out of 10 Filipinos are overweight or obese.
The incidence of obesity is more common in the
40-49.9 age group and least prevalent among
those aged 70 and above. The report also noted
there are more obese female than male. Stress
leading to comfort eating, increased portions of
unhealthy food, and sedentary lifestyles were cited
as causes. In addition, “Micronutrient deficiency
which adversely affects a child’s survival also
remains a public health concern,” according to the
proponents, citing 24.8 percent of pregnant women
are nutritionally at risk due to iodine deficiency
disorder.
Malnutrition in “The cost of malnutrition greatly affects the
various forms country’s economy with a total loss of Php 328
billion in 2013 due to impacts of child stunting on
education and productivity,” they added.
PPAN targets
The updated PPAN will be in place for 6 years – until 2022, and by
then, the proponents hope to reduce wasting from 7 percent to less
than 5 percent, and stunting to 28 percent, decrease micronutrients
deficiencies, and halt the increase in overweight rates.
Secretary of Health Paulyn Ubial, also a member of the governing
board, said that the PPAN is the country’s bible for nutrition, and it will
also support the World Health Assembly Global Targets in improving
maternal, infant and young child nutrition by the year 2025.
Additionally, Secretary Ubial noted that “15 to 20 years from now,
these stunted children, if they survived, will enter the workforce and
instead of driving the engine of the economy will become the burden of
society, and because malnutrition permeates into the next generation
the cycle continues.”
Strategies
PPAN’s strategic thrusts include
the First 1,000 Days of Life, the
provision of complimentary nutrition-
specific and nutrition-sensitive
programmes, mobilization of local
government units to reach
geographically-isolated and
disadvantages areas (GIDA) as well
as indigenous people.
According to a PPAN draft for
2017-2022, the plan will include a
team of consultants, key informant
interviews, focus group discussion,
inter-sectoral consultation and
national consultation.
PPAN Programmes
The updated PPAN comes with eight nutrition-
specific programmes meant to address the
immediate causes of malnutrition such as scant food
supply, lower nutritional intake, poor care giving and
parenting practices, as well as infectious diseases.
The programme will include immunization, de-
worming, food and agriculture systems, conditional
cash transfers, as well as a lifestyle-centered
approach (school intervention, breastfeeding,
supplementary feeding, community-based health
food environment, and workplace).
“This will be complemented by the nutrition-sensitive
programmes which are already existing
developmental programmes that can be tweaked to
produce nutritional outcomes,” noted the PPAN in a
briefing.
 A ny
Ques ti o n !!!