Malnutrition rate declines in Central Visayas

The National Nutrition Council in Central Visayas (NNC-7) announced Saturday that the malnutrition rate in the region dropped in 2024.

The data comes from the 2024 Operation Timbang (OPT) Plus, an annual NNC activity that measures the nutritional status of all children aged 0-59 months, or under five years old.

"One major factor which we can attribute to the decline in terms of our malnutrition statistics and all indicators, from stunting, wasting, underweight, and obesity, is because of probably the interventions that we were working for, especially with our partners the local government units, have made in terms of improving the situation," said NNC-7 Director Parolita Mission.

The data shows a decrease in both the prevalence and magnitude of stunting (putot/pandak), from 7.2% or 47,842 children in 2023 to 6.7% or 38,080 children in 2024.

Wasting (niwang/payat) decreased from 1.4% or 9,473 children in 2023 to 1.3% or 7,118 children. The rate for underweight (gaan) dropped from 3.2% or 21,481 children in 2023 to 3.0% or 17,229 children.

Overweight decreased from 2.11% or 13,970 children in 2023 to 2.0% or 11,491 children in 2024.

Mission called the results a "slow" but steady improvement in the nutritional status of children in the region, which is a key indicator of nutrition progress.

The various forms of malnutrition refer to different levels: stunting indicates long-term malnutrition, wasting refers to acute malnutrition, and overweight and obesity are assessed by comparing weight to height or length. Underweight is determined by comparing current weight to standards according to age.

The OPT Plus team is composed of rural health midwives, barangay nutrition scholars, barangay health workers, and other members of the nutrition committee in each barangay. They use anthropometric measurements and indices to identify the nutritional status of children using the World Health Organization Child Growth Standards