ILOILO CITY, Philippines – The media can spur the improvement of the nutritional status and quality of life among residents here by helping disseminate the Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (NGF) 2012.
In the Iloilo Nutrition Communication Network (NUTRICOMNET) media forum held Wednesday, Salvador Serrano, Special Research Specialist II of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), said that media can help promote and encourage the public to use the NGF 2012 for a healthier lifestyle.
“Nutritional guidelines are simple statements that give advice on the consumption of foods and food components for which there are public health concerns,” he said.
The Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos 2012 are as follows: 1. Eat a variety of foods everyday to get the nutrients needed by the body; 2. Breastfeed infants exclusively from birth up to six months and then give appropriate complementary foods while continuing breastfeeding for two years and beyond for optimum growth and development; 3. Eat more vegetables and fruits to get the essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber for regulation of body processes; 4. Consume fish, lean meat, poultry, egg, dried beans or nuts daily for growth and repair of body tissues; 5. Consume milk, milk products, and other calcium-rich food such as small fish and shellfish, everyday for healthy bones and teeth; 6. Consume safe foods and water to prevent diarrhea and other food-and water-borne diseases; 7. Use iodized salt to prevent Iodine Deficiency Disorders; 8. Limit intake of salty, fried, fatty, and sugar-rich foods to prevent cardiovascular diseases; 9. Attain normal body weight through proper diet and moderate physical activity to maintain good health and help prevent obesity; and 10. Be physically active, make healthy food choices, manage stress, avoid alcoholic beverage, and do not smoke to help prevent lifestyle-related non-communicable disease.
The first NGF released in 1990 was composed of five messages called “Dietary Guidelines for Filipinos.”
In 2000, a revised nutritional guidelines composed of ten messages was released and it was called the Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos.
In 2012, the Technical Working Group (TWG) for the revision of the NGF, led by the FNRI of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) developed a new set of the NGF, based on the 2000 edition.
The revisions were made based on the results of the 2008 National Nutrition Survey (NNS) conducted by FNRI-DOST.
Based on the said survey, the Filipino household diet fell below the recommended levels except for niacin, which is above the recommended. Furthermore, all nutrients and energy were below the 100 percent adequacy levels.
New nutrition guides for Pinoys out
