FNRI releases anthropometric results of NNS 2013

THE Food and Nutrition Research Institute-Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) released the initial results of the National Nutrition Survey 2013 during the Nutrition Summit on June 26.  The stunting (low height-for-age) prevalence among children age 0-5 years significantly decreased from 33.6 percent in 2011 to 30.3 percent in 2013.  The three regions with lowest share of stunted children age 0-5 years are NCR (22.4 percent), Central Luzon (23.1 percent) and CALABARZON (25.3 percent); while those with highest stunting burden are Bicol (39.8 percent), ARMM (39.0 percent) and Zamboanga Peninsula (38.7%). There was also a significant decline in stunting among children age 5.08-10.00 years from 33.6% in 2011 to 29.9% in 2013, and among adolescents age 10.08-19.00 years from 35.7% in 2011 to 31.5% in 2013.  Stunting is a result of long-term food and nutrient deprivation that retards physical growth and cognitive development, and increases the risk to illnesses that may later affect economic productivity.

There was also a small decline in the underweight (low weight-for-age) prevalence among children age 0-5 years from 20.2% in 2011 to 19.9%.  NCR (12.9%), CAR (16.5%) and Northern Mindanao (17.7%) had the lowest prevalence of underweight children age 0-5 years while MIMAROPA (27.5%), Western Visayas (26.0%) and Bicol (24.6%) had the highest prevalence.  Better results are seen among children age 5.08-10.00 years, indicating a significant decrease in underweight from 32.0% in 2011 to 29.0% in 2013.