Central Visayas continues to make progress in the fight against malnutrition, but stunting remains a major public health challenge, the National Nutrition Council reported on Saturday.

The 2025 Operation Timbang Plus (OPT Plus) results show improvements across key indicators for children under five. Underweight dropped to 2.90 percent, stunting fell to 6.26 percent, wasting decreased to 1.08 percent, and overweight and obesity went down to 1.91 percent.

“These numbers show steady progress compared to previous years,” the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) said. For example, underweight children decreased from 3.2 percent (21,481 kids) in 2023 to 2.90 perecent (17,825 kids) in 2025, while stunting fell from 7.2 percent (47,842 kids) to 6.26 percent (38,555 kids) over the same period.

The RNC noted that missing data from Toledo City and Cordova in Cebu Province may have affected the overall completeness of the report. They stressed that timely and accurate reporting from all local government units is crucial for effective planning and targeting of nutrition programs.

OPT Plus is conducted annually by grassroots nutrition workers using WHO child growth standards to track weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height among children under five. The results help guide interventions, particularly in areas with high stunting rates, and support integration of nutrition programs into local planning and budgets.

The RNC also urged parents, community leaders, and the public to support regular growth monitoring and proper child feeding practices, emphasizing that ensuring every child’s adequate nutrition is a shared responsibility.

“While we celebrate these improvements, sustained efforts are still needed to tackle all forms of malnutrition,” the RNC added.