BAGUIO CITY - - The Department of Health and the National Nutrition Council call  for a whole – of – society approach in ensuring affordable and sustainable healthy diet in Cordillera communities as they led the  launching of the 2023 Nutrition Month celebration  here on July 3.

In line with the  theme, “Healthy diet gawing affordable for All”, DOH – Cordillera  Regional Director Dr. Rio Magpantay outlined  the importance of ensuring a healthy diet for pregnant mothers, newly born, infants, growing children and up to adulthood to ensure a long healthy, productive and happy life.

Magpantay encouraged  families, communities, local government units and national government agencies to contribute in ensuring healthy and affordable diet for all.

NNC Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Bella Basalong  explained  that  consuming non-healthy diets results to increased risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, undernutrition that leads to stunting and wasting, and increased risk of dying or disability – adjusted life years.

She  also outlined the importance of  going into sustainable healthy diets. Inclusion of plant – based foods in daily consumption and decrease consumption of red meat, sugar and refined grains not only nurture health but also supports environmental sustainability, she said.

Basalong  affirmed that ensuring healthy diet in households  is becoming more challenging with food getting more expensive, as the Philippines along with other countries are affected by the rising global food price due to the  pandemic,  bad weather conditions,  and higher cost of fuel and fertilizer.

Based on the  World Food Program and the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology,  45 percent of households in Cordillera are unable to afford nutritious diet.  She shared that the 2020 data of the Food and Agriculture Organization  showed  that  the cost of healthy diet/meal is P242.30 per person per day or around P1,212 per day for a household with five members.

Basalong gave some nutrition tips and  advices on how families can have  healthy diets with lesser expenses. She  recommends to families to prepare a family meal plan and as much as possible cook at home,  avoid highly processed food, grow backyard or community garden and consider replacing meat with other less expensive but nutritious source of proteins.

Benguet State University Professor VI Imelda Degay  also gave a talk titled, “Bringing Affordable and Healthy Diet for the Cordilleras  while BSU Nutritionist and Dietetics students gave a cooking demonstration on healthy and affordable recipes.

Magpantay  led members of the Regional Nutrition Committee in a pledge and signing of commitment to support the Nutrition Month celebration, as well as the programs and advocacies on food and nutrition security.(JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)