Nutrition Month Activities
July 4, 2015
BAGUIO CITY – Anchored on the theme, “Timbang iwasto sa tamang nutrisyun at ehersisyo!” nutrition month activities are conducted in the barangays up to August, but with culminating and awarding ceremonies at the Baguio Convention Center on July 31.
Awareness on the role and importance of proper nutrition and physical activity to prevent obesity which may result to non-communicable diseases, and implementation of education and information campaign among communities, national and local government units, non-government organizations, private sector, media, the academe and other stakeholders are among the objectives of the celebration of July as nutrition month.
Activities on the second week of July are medical missions and blood-letting at Padre Zamora; Iodized salt distribution at Phil-am, and clean-up drive at East and West Quirino Hill, BGH compound and Upper QM.
Feeding of underweight preschool, daycare and school children are scheduled at Lower General Luna, Trancoville, DPS, Military Cut-off, BGH Compound, Lourdes Subdivision Extension, San Roque, Middle Rock Quarry, Burnham-Legarda barangays with a supplementary feeding for highest gainer month-long activity will be conducted at Imelda Marcos barangay.
Nutrition slogan, poster, poem, essay song and talent presentation, draw and tell, trivia, fruit and vegetable carving are featured in Upper Dagsian, Bakakeng Central, Minesview and Leonila Hill barangays.
A nutrition garden contest at Balsigan barangay go on, as with cooking contests in various districts. Tree planting, clean and green program, distribution of seeds, community gardening are scheduled in East Quirino Hill, P. Burgos, Holy Ghost Proper and Phil-am brgys.
Lectures and forum including a no-smoking campaign shall be conducted at South Drive, Upper QM, Middle Rock Quarry, City Camp Central and Pinget.
Multivitamins are distributed to underweight preschool children at P. Burgos, as a Buntis and Lactating congress, bright child contests, healthy baby, mother and father, breastfeeding are scheduled in San Antonio Village and Palma-Urbano.
Health buffs are invited to join the eco-walk, hataw, taichi, fun run, run-for-a-cause, and physical exercises at Andres Bonifacio, Quezon Hill Proper, Lower Quirino Hill, Loakan Liwanag, Gibraltar, Kias, Camp 8, Mines View, Sto. Nino, Trancoville, Padre Zamora, Holy Ghost Proper, City Camp Proper, BGH Compound, Lourdes Subdivision Extension, San Roque, Dominican-Mirador, Middle Rock Quarry, GEFA.
In coordination with other line agencies, sustainable livelihood training programs are slated at South Drive, Camp 8 and Dominican-Mirador.
Last July 1, nutrition month streamers were hung at strategic places in the city and barangay levels as activities to promote sustained exercises were launched, with a “Barya mo para sa kalusugan ko” program at City Camp Proper.
More barangay activities are scheduled for the third, fourth, last week of July, and August.
During the 5th regional nutrition meet last June, data was presented that children in the region have a good showing as to nutritional status, older children however have a tendency towards undernutrition and obesity; within an “obesogenic” environment. Accordingly, the condition is caused by less outdoor activities, more of processed foods, and more sugar-based food and juices.
Adults, also are at risk with illnesses traceable to weight increase and inactivity, the charts show. Those ailments are identified as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, hypertension and kidney failure.
Government-initiated measures however are being implemented such as the milk code, mandatory nutrition labels on food, prohibition of unhealthy foods in school canteen; barangay-based advocacies including growth monitoring; higher taxes on sugar-based juices; plans and programs as coordinated with other concerned offices; and the flourishing of healthy eating places. This is where barangay nutrition workers should be immersed in information campaign, guest speaker Regional nutrition officer Rita Papey said./Julie G. Fianza
