Increased obesity rates raise alarm
The DoST-FNRI emphasized that due to the high incidence of obesity, the country failed to meet its target of ‘no increase or reduced prevalence of obesity’.
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go reminded fellow Filipinos to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle in light of the recent report that obesity prevalence has increased, particularly among children and adults.
The senator — who also chairs the Senate Committee on Health — warned that obesity can result in more serious health problems including heart ailments, stroke, diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases.
According to the Expanded National Nutrition Survey by the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute that was conducted from July 2021 to July of this year, 38.6 percent of adults aged 20 to 59 and 14.1 percent of children aged 5 to 10 were obese, as were 13.1 percent of people aged 10 to 19, and 14.1 percent of children aged 5 to 10.
When compared to the overall prevalence of obesity in 2018, the rates were higher.
Meanwhile, the prevalence of obesity was 3.9 percent among children younger than 5 years old and 6.2 percent among elderly people, defined as those 60 years old and older. These figures represent a slight decrease from the 2018 figures of 4 percent and 6.3 percent, respectively.
The DoST-FNRI emphasized that due to the high incidence of obesity, the country failed to meet its target of “no increase or reduced prevalence of obesity,” which was stated in the Philippine Plan for Action 2017 to 2022.
Go then renewed his call to Filipinos to maintain a healthy lifestyle, especially since the pandemic imposed travel and mobility restrictions, resulting in less physical activities.
The lawmaker urged parents to get their children involved in sports. Go, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Sports and a sports enthusiast himself, has expressed support for initiatives and introduced measures to promote sports in the country, including the development of grassroots sports programs.
He also emphasized the use of sports as a tool to combat illegal drug use among Filipinos.
As part of his vision to provide a dedicated academy for promising young athletes, Go had authored and co-sponsored a bill in the Senate which became Republic Act 11470 in 2020, establishing the National Academy of Sports System and Main Campus.
The NAS offers a secondary education program with an integrated special curriculum on sports which was developed in close coordination with the Department of Education and Philippine Sports Commission.
The academy is equipped with world-class sports facilities, housing and other amenities on par with international standards. Sufficient number of classrooms and other facilities had also been built at the complex to provide a conducive learning environment for all the students.
Go has likewise pushed for other legislative measures to safeguard athletes’ welfare as part of the country’s sports development programs. Previously, he expressed his support for the creation of the Philippine Sports Training Center.