Regional Nutrition Chair and Department of Health (DOH) Ilocos Region Regional Director Paula Paz M. Sydiongco today disclosed the results of the 2021 Operation Timbang Plus (OPT+) which showed a significant decrease in the regional prevalence of malnutrition on children 0-5 years old, particularly on underweight, stunting and wasting among under-five children in the region.
The study showed a 2.51 percent or 3 out of 100 pre-school children are underweight and severely underweight; 3 percent or 3 out of 100 pre-school children are overweight and obese; 4.21 percent or 5 out of 100 pre-school children are stunted and severely stunted; and 1.60 percent or 2 out of 100 preschool children are wasted and severely wasted.
The data also revealed a decrease of .17 percent in the prevalence of underweight and severely underweight children from 2.68 percent in 2020 to 2.51 percent in 2021; prevalence rate for stunted and severely stunted preschool children decreased by 0.65 percentage points from 4.86 percent in 2020 to 4.21 percent in 2021; prevalence of wasted and severely wasted preschool children decreased by 0.33 percentage points from 1.92 percent in 2020 to 1.59 percent in 2021; and the prevalence of overweight and obese (weight for height) preschool children remained the same having 3.0 percent in 2020 and 2021.
“I commend the local government units (LGUs) of the region for their relentless effort in implementing nutrition services even in the midst of pandemic. Even with the big challenge posed by Covid-19 you still were able to preserve the ability of the most vulnerable and affected people to meet food consumption and other basic needs thereby protecting their health and welfare,” Sydiongco stated.
Ilocos Norte led the provinces with the highest prevalence of combined underweight and severely underweight preschool children aged 0-59 months old with 3.64 percent. The province also has the highest prevalence of combined stunted and severely stunted and severely stunded preschool children with 7.57% and the highest prevalence of combined wasted and severely wasted preschool children with 2.05% from a total of 26,938 or 75.14 OPT coverage. The malnutrition rate for the province continues to decrease for the past three years.
Ilocos Sur topped the list of provinces in the region with the highest prevalence of combined overweight and obese preschool children with 4.55% from a total of 39,152 weighed or 80.76% OPT coverage.
Sydiongco urged local government units to continue to sustain the improvement of malnutrition rate in their respective areas and further increase their investments relations to full devolution of health services.
“Sa pamamagitan ng ating mga local na pamahalaan, mapapangalaan ang kalusugan ng mga bata at mabbiigyan ng sapat at tamang impormasyon ang mga magulang upang sila ay mabigyan ng tamang gabay sa pagpapakain at pagpapalaki ng kanilang mga anak na malusog, masigla, malakas ang pangangatawan at upang mailayo sa anumang uri ng sakit,” she emphasized.The 2021 OPT Plus results covered the four provinces, and nine cities of the region.
