Malnutrition thrives on persistent food insecurity in PH

Food insecurity leads to hunger. Hunger, when persistent, can lead to undernutrition, illnesses and lower work productivity later in life. This can have negative effects on the economic productivity of countries.

Food security is “when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy lifestyle.” (World Food Summit, 1996)

This will only be achieved when the four dimensions of physical availability of food, economic and physical access, proper utilization of food, and the stability to acquire these foods are fulfilled. Otherwise, food insecurity will exist.

Based on the results of the Food Security Survey component of the National Nutrition Surveys (NNS) and Updating of the Nutritional Status of Filipino Children and Other Population Groups Surveys of the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOSTFNRI) from 2001 to 2015, the country’s food insecurity status remained high.

Food insecurity was measured through households’ experience of episodes of anxiety over food sources and experience of hunger.

The proportion of food-insecure households went down slowly from 84.4% in 2001, to 77.0% in 2003, to 72.7% in 2008, to 69.3% in 2011, to 65.9% in 2013 and slightly increased to 66.1% in 2015 at an average rate of 3.7 percentage points per survey period.

Households observed to be more food-insecure remained to be those with members considered vulnerable, such as those with 0-5 year old children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.

Child malnutrition in the country remained high and even worsening. Stunting was at 33.4% in 2015, failing the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target. Wasting prevalence has essentially remained unchanged through the years, and by 2015, the prevalence is even higher than its 1989 rate of 6.2%.

The unchanged pattern of food insecurity in the country has contributed to the worsening malnutrition problem among Filipino children.

Results of the study of Dr. Cecilia Cristina A. Acuin, former Chief Science Research Specialist of DOST-FNRI, together with the World Food Program (WFP) in 2015, showed significant direct association between the household’s food insecurity and a child’s malnutrition.

Appreciation of the complexity of the link among food security, hunger and malnutrition should be at the core of policies and programs to be implemented. Coordinated action to address them can even hit these problems all at the same time.

For more information on food and nutrition, contact: Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, Director, Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research Institute, General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City; Telephone/Fax Nos: 837-2934 or 837-3164; Direct Line: 839-1839; DOST Trunk Line: 837-2071 local 2296 or 2284; e-mail: mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph or at mar_v_c@yahoo.com; DOST-FNRI website: http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph. Like our Facebook Page at facebook.com/FNRI.DOST or follow our Twitter account at twitter.com/FNRI_DOST.