LOS BAŇOS, Laguna (PNA) -– Calabarzon, which groups the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon — ranks among three of the country’s regions with the highest rate of chubby and obese children aged 5 years old and younger.
According to the media dispatch from the Dept. of Science and Technology Calabarzon S & T media service here Wednesday, the Calabarzon region joins Region III (Central Luzon) and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) surveyed with the highest rates of obese Filipinos.
The DOST-Food and Nutrition and Nutrition Research Institute survey released recently also disclosed an increasing rate of obese and extremely stout Filipinos aged 20 years and older.
The results were culled based on the body mass index which is a standard measurement adopted by the World Health Organization.
The marked increases were noted starting 1993 where the percentage rate was 16.6 % and went up to 20.2 % in 1998.
The figure swelled to 24.0 % in 2003 and increased further to 26.6% in 2008 within an interval period of five years.
The FNRI-DOST survey also revealed the obesity rate is higher from the age range 40 years old to 59 years old with the huge number recorded higher among the females than the males.
The food and nutrition research findings included lifestyle behavior since the survey agency noted that lifestyle behavior has affected to a large extent the Filipino well-being.
These behavioral aspects or habits include smoking, drinking liquor and the physical activity among adult Filipinos.
Survey results showed that 3 out of 10 Filipinos smoke 10 sticks a day and 3 out of 10 Filipinos drink liquor with gin and beer leading among their favorite drinks.
The survey on physical activity also disclosed that 7 out of 100 Filipinos do active exercises three to four times a week.
FNRI listed the behavioral risks such as eating the “wrong” food, lack of exercise, drinking liquor and smoking that could be changed.
The food and nutrition research agency advised that avoiding these health risk factors also prevent obesity, hypertension, lung disease, soaring blood sugar and heart ailment.
FNR-DOST recommends their Daily Nutritional Guide Pyramid, posted in their website at www.fnri.dost.gov.ph with the balanced diet, the right food with the proper amount of all the nutrients needed to avoid illness and disease.
It also recommends regular exercises most days of the week for about 30 minutes and to practice personal and environmental hygiene.
From the FNRI-recommended food pyramid, the DOST agency also strongly advises the use of iodized salt and eating of fortified foods to increase intake of micronutrients and recommends drinking of 8 glasses of water daily to assimilate the food nutrients and increase circulation in the body and prevent dehydration.