She emphasized the importance of making healthy food accessible and inexpensive to all Filipinos to be able to get the required daily dietary intake needed to sustain physical activity and good health.
Sedantes likewise called on food producers, legislators, parents and other stakeholders to do their share to make these healthy and nutritious foods affordable and accessible to all.
The Expanded National Nutrition Survey in 2021 showed that 68% or 75.2 million Filipinos cannot afford a healthy diet in 2022. The same survey also showed that last year, 2% or 5.3 million Filipinos with severe food insecurity; 33.4 % or about 42 million with moderate food insecurity; and 35% were unable to eat healthy and nutritious food.
In Western Visayas, NNC 6, tasked to spearhead the Nutrition Month every year, involves the local government units in the celebration as they have direct contact with the public. The regional launch is brought to different local government units for residents to witness and participate in the various nutrition related activities that will be carried out.
Sedantes said the launching event in Guimaras will be highlighted by a cooking demo using the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) – Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) recipes. This will be participated in by the NNC 6 nutritionists and Barangay Nutrition Scholars and will be attended by pregnant and lactating women, as well as parents/caregivers with children aged 0 to 5 years old.
A Vegetable/Fresh Produce Expo will also be held during the day to showcase and bring safe and quality products to make them more affordable to Guimarasnons. (AAL/LAF/PIA6 Iloilo)
