Pandemic impacts Aklan kids’ nutrition

Al

K A L I B O , A k l a n – Proper nutrition is crucial in supporting rapid brain development and building the immune system of babies during their first 1,000 days.

With the coronavirus pandemic i mpacting the nutrition of young children in Aklan, the health crisis also worsens their obesity problem due to social isolation, lack of physical activities and poor diet.

As of 2020 data, t he province had 1,077 children suffering from wasting. The prevalence rate was 2.2 percent, slightly down from the 2.7 percent in 2019.

Wasting is defined as low weight- for- height. It often indicates recent and severe weight loss, although it can also persist for a long time. It usually occurs when a person has not had food of adequate quality and quantity and/ or they have had frequent or prolonged illnesses.

Aklan also had 3,127 children suffering f rom stunting in 2020.

Stunting is the impaired growth and development that children experience from poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation. Children are defined as stunted if their height- for- age is more than two standard deviations below the World Health Organization Child Growth Standards median.

The number of obese children also increased during

deployment to Oman.

Bello also reported that: “At the end of the meeting l ast Monday, we signed an agreement. Ambassador Al- Mantheri promised to talk to his government to lift the ban. Maybe when the ban is lifted, we will also

The coastguard reminded boat operators to be wary of inclement weather to avoid a similar incident.

Meanwhile, motorboat Roxane-L owner Catherine Lim issued this statement:

“Due t o t his untoward

t he management t hose who have r e c orded c a r goes( i n t he i l l - fated boat) t hey would be r ef unded i n due t i me after the i nvestigation and verification of cargoes and the total cost.”

The boat was carrying 100 sacks of hog feeds and 100 sacks of rice./