Pinoys urged to adopt ‘Pinggang Pinoy’ to fight spread of diabetes

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes Contributor

Instead of gorging on junk foods, the d epa rtment of s cience and te chnology Food and n u trition Research Institute ( d O st- F n RI) urged Filipinos to eat the recommended “Pinggang Pinoy” or “Filipino Plate” as a balanced diet guide to fight the spread of diabetes.

C hona Patalen, d ep artment of s c ience and te chnology Food and n u trition Research Institute ( d O st F n R I) s e nior s c ience Research s p ecialist, warned that if no lifestyle changes were made, the situation might lead to a larger number of people being affected by diabetes.

Patalen also revealed that their data showed that from 1993 to 2021, about 38.6 percent of Philippine adults have become overweight and obese. However, based on the a sia P acific cut-off, the 2021 statistics indicated that as many as 56.8 percent of adults have become overweight.

Borderline cases

In their studies, the d O st F n RI observed that

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Proper pediatric nutrition intervention, family, education vital in the fight against malnutrition

By Rory Visco Contributor

In a paper published in the national Center for Biotechnology Information ( n CBI) of the US n a tional Library of Medicine ( n L M) website, titled “ nutritional Habits and Interventions in Childhood,” it pointed to the role of diet in helping achieve and maintain a healthy status, which is “especially important in the pediatric age since children need an adequate intake of energy and nutrients for growth and development with respect to their full potential.”

It had been emphasized in the paper why proper eating and lifestyle habits are important to help prevent chronic noncommunicable diseases from affecting a child in the first 1,000 days, and that “optimizing nutrition in infancy and establishing healthy lifestyles from pre-school years help prevent all forms of malnutrition and diet-related non-communicable diseases in future life.”

Defining malnutrition is about US$4.4 billion or 1.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In Philippine peso, it’s about P220 billion a year, and an estimated P4.8 billion budget yearly is needed for key interventions that are focused on nutrition, especially during a child’s first 1,000 days. Dr. Cainap-Endaya also emphasized that she hopes the government can see the value in investing in children’s nutrition intervention because it is estimated that for every P49 investment to address undernutrition, the country can gain a return of P587.

The value of nutrition intervention

SHE lamented that sometimes, the focus is on the medical needs of the patient and neglects the patient’s nutritional needs, and that is when they adopt a multi-disciplinary approach, or at the least work with a clinical dietitian.

Waistline in 2018 to 2019, about 27.7 percent of the Philippines’ adult population or 17.6 million people are already classified as “pre-diabetes” or “borderline” cases who are susceptible to become diabetic. t he F n R I developed ‘Pinggang Pinoy’ in collaboration with the World Health Organization [WHO], d e partment of Health [ d O H], and n at ional n u trition Council [ n n C ]. It comprises of half or 50 percent vegetables and fruits, 25 percent carbohydrates of rice or breads, 25 percent protein from ‘ulam’ or viands like fish or meat,” she said during the recent Pandesal Forum at Kamuning Bakery.

Pinggang Pinoy was formally unveiled at the “ s e minar s e ries on Food and n u trition Researches and s c ience and te chnology a c tivities” last July 4, 2023 at the d O st Compound in ta guig City.

Patalen urged Filipinos to get medical check-ups for possible diabetes at local barangay health centers, in order to prevent or for early medical intervention.

Beverage taxation

Controlling the spread of diabetes is not gain - ing any ground as the taxation of beverages has not stopped the rise of diabetes in the country. s o far, one-third of Filipino adults are pre-diabetic and 36.6 percent of adults are overweight. d r. John Paulo Rivera, e x ecutive d rector of the a sian In stitute of Management ( a I M) a n drew tan to urism Center, said that instead of imposing new taxes on sweetened beverages, which might worsen inflation and add to higher prices for the general populace, the government must seek alternative and better revenue sources for its coffers. He added that the over consumption of refined carbohydrates like white rice can raise blood glucose levels and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. t h e 4th week of July is d ia betes a w areness

H e urged persons with diabetes to pursue an active lifestyle by engaging in more physical activities and eating a balanced diet as a solution.

Prof. Hercules Callanta of the College of Human Kinetics, University of Philippines (UP) d i liman said Filipinos must pursue regular physical activities and exercise and eating a balanced diet to lessen the danger of getting diabetes.

Callanta added that for men, a waistline of 35.25 inches or 90 centimeters is normal and anything above 36 inches is already considered “overweight”, while for women the ideal waistline is nothing above 31 inches or 80 centimeters. He said WHO recommends 150 to 300 minutes of physical activity every week to maintain good health.

C allanta urged the national government and local government units (LGUs) to promote physical activities and fitness programs, Physical e x ercise (P e ) c lasses in all schools, creation of walkable roads with real sidewalks, creation of good and safe bike lanes and “not fake bike lanes”. F or couch potatoes and gadget addicts, Callanta said they should stop this activity every hour, stand up and do simple physical activities or movements for at least two to four minutes.

Week. d ia betes a w areness Week and d ia betes Prevention through Lifestyle Changes were the main topics of the “Pandesal Forum” with media held on July 28, 2023 at the 84-year-old Kamuning Bakery Cafe.