1 out of 4 Pinoy adults fat – survey

MANILA – The number of overweight Filipinos are increasing, according to a nationwide survey by the Food and Nutrition Research Foundation (FNRI).

The FNRI study, recently published in full, found that 27 out of 100 Filipinos aged 20 and above are overweight (23.9%), 2 out of 10 children aged 5 years old and below are overweight (1.4%), while 2 out of every 100 children aged 6 to 10 are overweight as well (1.3%).

The nutritional study, conducted in 2003, found that the prevalence of obesity has been increasing since 1998.

Being overweight or obese can lead to lifestyle diseases like cancer, heart problems, and diabetes.

FNRI director Mario Capanzana said the rise in overweight Filipinos can be attributed to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle or when a person lacks exercise.

Capanzana said other lifestyle factors can contribute to being overweight like skipping breakfast, frequent snacking or eating, consuming larger portions of food, frequent consumption of fast food, or pure laziness.

Obesity is more frequent among females than males, the study found. One in every 2 women (54.8%) aged 20 years old and above classified as obese.

There was a 70% increase in obesity among Filipinas, from 10.7% to 18.3% between 1998 and 2003. The study also found there are more overweight Filipinos in higher income households than lower income ones.

Fatty eating

The Philippines has seen a rise in imports of processed foods like hamburger patties and frozen fries from 2000 to 2003. Photo by Kristine Servando.

The FNRI noted that a decrease in the consumption of fruits and vegetables and the increase in Filipinos’ consumption of meat and fatty or oily foods could be behind the higher incidence of lifestyle diseases like high cholesterol.

Hypercholesterolemia (high blood cholesterol) among adults in 2003 was twice as much as in 2008, and there was also a “significant increase” in the incidence of elevated LDL cholesterol (or “bad” cholesterol) among Filipinos.

The FNRI study noted that the change in Filipinos’ eating habits from healthy to more fatty foods could be explained by the increase in food commodity imports for processed foods.

These include processed meat (hotdogs, hamburgers, or meatloaf), frozen potatoes or french fries, and colas or sugary beverages.

These data were presented at the launch of the results of the 6th National Nutrition Surveys (NNS), conducted by the FNRI in cooperation with the Department of Science and Technology.

Partial results of the survey series were presented in 2008. The survey covers 4,753 people from 2,636 randomly selected households nationwide.

Less are underweight?

At the same time, the study found that the prevalence of undernutrition among Filipinos of all ages has been generally decreasing.

In 2003, only 27% or 3 million children (aged 5 and below) were found to be underweight for their age, compared to 72% or about 8 million children (aged 5 and below) who had normal nutritional status.

The study found that 97% of Filipino households consume foods with the “Sangkap Pinoy Seal”, placed on food products that are required to be fortified or added with micronutrients, as provided for in the Food Fortification Act of 2000.

However, only 16% of households know what a “Sangkap Pinoy Seal” means. Fortified food include sugar, cooking oil, flour, rice, fruit juices, fish and meat products, instant noodles, cheese, and biscuits.

The FNRI surveys found that the most commonly consumed fortified foods, labeled with the “Sangkap Pinoy Seal”, are instant noodles and sardines.

Further, 80% of households or mothers said they are aware of iodized salt – believed to alleviate iodine deficiency – but only 38% actually use it.

Despite this, more than half of households surveyed (56.4%) had salt found to contain iodine.

3 in 10 have poor nutrition

Poorer households have a higher incidence of underweight children while richer households have a higher incidence of overweight children. Source: FNRI-DOST.

There are still traces of undernutrition, however, with 3 out of 10 children still suffering from poor nutrition.

Thirty percent or around 3.5 million children aged 5 and below were found to be short for their age, while 5.5% or 500,000 children were found to be thin or “wasted.” These problems are likely caused by undernutrition.

The NNS results found that there are more undernourished children in “food insecure” or poor households than in more well-off ones.

The National Capital Region, which has relatively higher per capita income, posted the least number of underweight children (15.7%) than other regions like Bicol, which had the highest number (36.1%) of underweight children.

Household members are also not eating enough, with more than half (57%) of Filipino households consuming less than 100% of the required daily intake of nutrients and calories.

The FNRI called this the “double burden” of a possible increasinge in underweight children coupled with the problem of increasingly overweight adults.

Anemia alarmingly high

There were a variety of diseases that have become more prevalent, however. Incidence rates for anemia (a blood disorder caused by iron deficiency, poor diet, or hereditary disease) among infants and children was “alarmingly high”, the study found.

The FNRI said 66% of babies aged 6 months to 1 year are anemic, which rose sharply from 56.6% in 1998.

Further, 29.1% of children aged 1 to 5 were anemic, slightly less than the number of anemia cases found in 1998 (29.6%).

The study added that 37.4% of Filipino children aged 6 to 12 are anemic, compared to 35.6% in 1998.

However, the FNRI said that there has been a “dramatic increase” in anemia over the past decade.

Anemia is also a public health problem for lactating and pregnant mothers. The study found that almost half of pregnant women (43.9%) suffer from anemia, same with lactating mothers (42.2%).

Senior Science Research Specialist Ma. Idelia Glorioso said in a press statement on FNRI that there is a need to increase Filipinos’ iron intakes “by including egg yolk, liver, and organ meats in their daily diet.”

Other cheap sources of iron, Glorioso said, are leafy yellow vegetables like dried beans, “malunggay”, and camote tops; and foods rich in Vitamin C like papaya, guava, and “datiles” (dates).

‘Nutrition status improving’

The study found, however, that there has been a “general improvement” between 1998 and 2003 in the country’s overall nutrition situation.

This is because there was a reduced number of underweight and stunted children, as well as pregnant and lactating women.

The FNRI surveys also found that there was a decrease in the number of adults who were chronically energy deficient (CED).

However, the study noted that national efforts should be strengthened to reduce the number of overweight adults and children, and to reduce the incidence of malnutrition, anemia, and chronic energy deficiency.

“A national policy on iron supplementation for infants and young children should be put in place,” the study stated in its conclusion.

Part of the country’s Millennium Development goals in 2000 was eradicate poverty and hunger, as measured by the number of underweight children and adults in the Philippines.

The FNRI are mandated by the government to conduct studies on the nutritional status of Filipinos.

Results from these surveys are reportedly used to craft national policies on nutrition. Report by Kristine Servando, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak. With a report from ABS-CBN News.