An estimated 27 million Filipinos were classified as obese, an official of the National Nutrition Council (NNC) said.
This is based on the recent data of the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), said NNC Nutrition Information and Education Division Chief Jovita Raval.
In a radio interview on Sunday, July 17, Raval noted that 3.6 million young people or up to 19 years of age were obese.
“Sa adults, 20.8 million…so halos apat sa bawat sampu na adults ay obese. Sa elderly medyo bumaba na at 2.6 million. Overall, 27 million pag pinagsama-sama lahat (Among adults, 20.8 million… so, almost four out of ten adults are obese. Among the elderly, it slightly decreased—which is now at 2.6 million. Overall, it’s 27 million),” she said.
The World Health Organization defined obesity and overweight “as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese.”
“Sa buong mundo, talagang tumataas siya sa lahat ng bansa. Habang mas nagiging developed or urbanized ang lugar, mas tumataas at wala pa talagang bansa na nakakapagpapababa (The prevalence of obesity is rising in all countries. [Obesity] is increasing more rapidly in areas that are more developed or urbanized, and no country has been able to lower obesity rates yet),” said Raval.
Too much consumption of “highly-processed food” and sweetened beverages as well as lack of physical activity can lead to obesity, said Raval.
Raval said that they are strengthening their information campaign about obesity as this is one of the interventions to reduce the obesity rate in the country.
“Kailangan talaga pagtuunan yung mga population-based na approaches kasama diyan yung pagkakaroon ng taxation halimbawa sa mga hindi masustansyang pagkain (We really need to focus on population-based approaches, such as taxing for example food that are unhealthy),” she added.
“Paglilimita ng hindi healthy…. yung harmful na marketing sa mga bata, kasi isa iyan sa nagi-impluwensya sa kanila sa pagbili at pagkain ng hindi masustansya ([Or] limit marketing of unhealthy food to children because that’s one of the things that influences them to buy and eat unhealthy food),” she furthered.
Raval also encouraged local government units to restrict the sale of unhealthy food near schools.
“Halimbawa ang Quezon City, so meron siyang ordinansa na bawal magbenta within a 100 meters na mula sa school. So, dapat bawal ang mga chichirya, matatamis. So yung bata bibili nalang siya sa school canteen imbes na doon sa labas (For example in Quezon City, it already has an ordinance that restricts selling within 100 meters from the school. So, junk food and sweet products should not be allowed. With this, the child will buy food at the school canteen instead),” she said.
“Pagdating sa mga paaralan, meron naman mga inisyatibo na ang Department of Education na ibawal na yung pagbebenta ng mga unhealthy na pagkain (When it comes to schools, there was already an initiative from the Department of Education to restrict the sale of food that are unhealthy),” she added.
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