Unregulated food intake can affect Body Mass Index (BMI), which may lead to obesity and overweight even among Filipino teenagers.
This is according to a policy statement on “FAT (Fad and Trending)!: Adolescent Obesity”, which is based on the 2021 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) of the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI).
Further studies reported that obese teens are at risk of developing metabolic syndrome.
According to Cua in 2012, metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions occurring together, increasing the risk of having non-communicable diseases or NCDs.
Moreover, the study of Cua in 2012 showed that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in overweight and obese Filipino teens was 19% or 67 out of 350 study participants.
On the other hand, the study led by Lusica in 2022 revealed that 52% of older Filipinos have metabolic syndrome and have a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors.
According to the WHO, obese teens are more likely to develop NCDs, which account for more than half of all deaths in the Philippines yearly.
Hence, NCDs are now the leading killers in the country.
The Department of Health’s National Nutrition Council (DOH-NNC) continues to strengthen campaigns to increase awareness on the importance of a healthy diet as the foundation of good health and making it a habit.
The DOST-FNRI recommends maintaining good health and preventing obesity through proper diet and regular moderate physical activity to achieve normal body weight.
Moreover, to help prevent lifestyle-related NCDs, the DOST-FNRI also recommends being physically active, eating healthy foods, managing stress, avoiding both alcoholic beverages, and smoking.
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Overweight and obesity prevalence among Filipino adolescents significantly increased from 11.6 percent (%) in 2018 to 13 percent (%) in 2021.
This is according to a policy statement on “FAT (Fad and Trending)!: Adolescent Obesity” and data from the 2021 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) of the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI).
The same survey revealed that males are more likely to be obese (14.8%) than females (11.3%), while urban areas have a higher percentage of obese people (16.2%) than rural ones (10.7%).
According to a 2016 study led by Banna, when a person reaches adolescence, a number of nutrition-related problems arise due to the consumption of low-nutrient energy-dense foods, excess intake of added sugar and fats, and an inadequate intake of micronutrients.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and DOST-FNRI reported that the development of obesity among adolescents can be due to decreased physical activities, sedentary lifestyle, altered eating patterns, increased fat content of the diet, and obesity-associated genes.
Moreover, according to the WHO, overweight and obese children are likely to stay obese into adulthood and more likely to develop non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age.
The Department of Health’s National Nutrition Council (DOH-NNC) believes that the increasing obesity stigma needs multidisciplinary actions involving various stakeholders in encouraging communities to live a healthy lifestyle and make the country's counter-measures and interventions more effective in protecting the health of future generations.
The DOST FNRI recommends that National Government agencies must develop standard protocols for physical activity programs and routine, provide parents and caregivers with the latest health information and other resource materials, fund and regularly organize seminars or courses on nutrition and physical activity, increase surveillance, and support and fund researches studies focusing on symptoms, prevention, and cure of genetic factors of obesity such as metabolic syndrome.
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Sa lahat ng gamit ng bitamina A sa katawan, pinakasikat na yata ang pampalinaw ng mata. Ngunit alam nyo ba na kailangan din ang bitaminang ito para labanan ang iba't ibang impeksiyon at para sa maayos na paglaki ng mga bata?
Ang bitamina A ay kailangan upang mapanatili ang normal na dami ng cells at matiyak na sapat ang mucous na nagpapanatiling basa at malagkit ang mga ilang bahagi ng katawan. Katulad nito ay ang gilid sa loob ng ating baga, lalamunan at bituka, pinagdadaanan ng ihi at ang ating mga nervous at reproductive systems. Ang mucous na galing sa mga cells ay may mga sangkap na nakapupuksa ng mga mikrobyo, kaya lumalakas ang resistensya at nalalabanan ang impeksiyon ng katawan. Kapag may kakulangan sa bitamina A, madaling dapuan ng sakit katulad ng sakit sa baga (respiratory infection) at pagtatae. Maaari ding lumala ang tigdas lalo na sa mga bata kung kulang sa bitamina A.
Bukod dito, ang bitamina A ay kailangan din para sa maayos na paglaki. Tumutulong ito sa paglaki ng mga buto o bone growth. Ang bitamina A ang nagpapanatili sa pagiging flexible ng mga buto para madali at normal ang paglaki nito.
Upang magkaroon ng sapat na bitamina A sa ating katawan, ugaliing kumain ng mga pagkaing mayaman sa bitaminang ito. Kabilang na dito ang atay, itlog, keso, dilis, mga lamang dagat tulad ng tahong at tulya, dilaw at berdeng gulay, at dilaw na prutas. Halimbawa ng dilaw at berdeng gulay ay carrot, kamatis, kalabasa, dahon ng malunggay, kamote, kangkong, pechay at saluyot. Ang mga prutas tulad ng mangga, papaya, saging at melon naman ay halimbawa ng mga dilaw na prutas. Marami na ring mga pagkain ang dinagdagan o fortified ng bitamina A tulad ng noodles, mga inumin, sawsawan, mantika at asukal. Piliin ang mga pagkain mayroong Sangkap Pinoy Seal (SPS) dahil ito ang mga pagkain dinagdagan ng bitamina A.
Kaya sa susunod na kakain ng mga pagkaing mayaman sa bitamina A, isipin ninyo na ito'y para mapanatiling malinaw ang mata at lumakas rin ang inyong resistensiya.
Para sa karagdagang impormasyon at kaalaman sa pagkain at nutrisyon, sumulat o tumawag kay Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, Direktor, FNRI-DOST sa kanyang email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. o This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. o sa telepono bilang 837-2934/837-3164. Maaari ding bisitahin ang FNRI website: http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph. I-Like din ang aming Facebook page sa facebook.com/FNRI.DOST o sundan kami sa aming Twitter account sa twitter.com/FNRI_DOST. (DOST-FNRI S&T Media Service: Press Release – CHARINA A. JAVIER)
Eggs are widely enjoyed as breakfast entrée. Some would like their egg poached to perfection. Others would prefer plain scrambled egg or with vegetable, meat, seafood or a combination of a whole lot more. Still others would like a simple hard cooked egg where the eggshell is intact and without crack, the yolk and the white are solid and firm.
Others would like a soft cooked egg almost coagulated yet it has the ability to “quiver” a bit. While the optimistic who faithfully wakes up in the morning to see the bright side of life would positively desire the sunny side up.
But can we eat egg every day? Egg is high in cholesterol and it has been blamed as the culprit that causes the accumulation of plaques in the arteries resulting to constricting blood flow, reducing the elasticity of the arteries, and consequently elevating the blood pressure.
On the other hand, egg contains essential minerals and vitamins except vitamin C needed by the body. It is a good source of quality protein, meaning egg contains the right quality of essential amino acid to build tissues. Chicken egg is readily available in the market and the cost is cheap.
Weighing the good side and the bad side of egg consumption, doctors and dietitians agreed to recommend eating 2-3 pieces of eggs per week.
In the study, “The Effects of Egg Consumption on Lipid Profile Among Selected 30–60 Year-Old Filipino Adults” headed by Dr. Celeste C. Tanchoco, Scientist III, of the DOST-FNRI, she suggested that, “eating one egg a day is unlikely to have substantial increase in blood lipid.” Dr. Tanchoco advocates a stronger message regarding other aspects of lifestyle such as weight maintenance, regular exercise and support the necessity of dietary guidelines and lifestyle approach to disease risk reduction as lifelong endeavor.
If we can eat egg everyday, how can we make its preparation exciting? How do we cook eggs right? Here are some practical steps to cook eggs to perfection.
An excellent poached egg guarantees that it is made from fresh eggs. Start off by using only fresh eggs. Poached egg is cooked in water at a simmering temperature, about 85-98OC, the temperature below boiling point, when bubbles form slowly and collapse below the surface. The eggshell is carefully broken with caution, keeping the yolk whole. Slowly glide the egg into the simmering water. Allow the egg white to set at a desired degree. When done, remove eggs using a slotted ladle. Drain and serve at once.
Hard cooked eggs and soft cooked eggs may be cooked in the same saucepan. Remove eggs from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking. It is important to have the eggs at room temperature because the sudden extreme change in temperature will cause the eggshells to break. It is also important to have all the eggs in saucepan immersed in water. Cook the eggs at simmering temperature. Soft cooked egg is done after simmering for 5 minutes while hard cooked egg needs 15 minutes. To achieve the desired results, cooked eggs must be dip in cold water to prevent over cooking. A fast egg spin distinguishes the hard cooked egg from the soft cooked one.
Sunny side-up and over easy are fried eggs. Eggs are broken out of the shell then pan fried in cooking oil. Cook the egg until the white is set and the yolk thickens but not hard. The yolk may be baste with hot oil to have an over easy fried egg.
The scrambled egg is prepared by whipping the whole egg. Milk is oftentimes added to achieve a softer product. A good scrambled egg is evenly coagulated but not tough nor burned. Scrambled eggs easily turn into omelets by adding sliced tomatoes, onions, mushroom, cheese, bacon, red or green pepper, meat, sea foods and endless combination. This fun-filled omelet is what my grandmother fondly calls “torta”.
For more information on food and nutrition, contact: Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and Technology, General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City; Telephone/ Fax Nos: 837-2934 or 837-3164; Direct Line:839-1839; DOST Trunk Line: 837-2071-82 local 2296 or 2284; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; FNRI-DOST website: http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph. Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/FNRI.DOST or follow our Twitter account at twitter.com/FNRI_DOST. (DOST-FNRI S&T Media Service: Press Release – CZARINA TERESITA S. MARTINEZ)
