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| As the country observes the 30th Nutrition Month celebration this July, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) in Eastern Visayas is strongly advocating complementary feeding among infants and young children in the region. The NNC spearheaded on July 05 a motorcade around the city and it was participated by 25 national government agencies based in the region, city government of Tacloban, and provincial government of Leyte. The activity serves as a formal opening of the month-long celebration. As part of its promotion effort, NNC regional office, as a coordinating body on nutrition has urged local government units in the region to undertake activities in their areas to make the people aware of the importance of complementary foods. NNC Eastern Visayas Regional Coordinator Carina Santiago said that national government agencies in the region was also urged to hang streamers in offices, hospitals, schools, health centers and other strategic places featuring Nutrition Month theme: "Breastfeeding Panatilihin, dagdagan ng wastong pagkain." Santiago told Leyte Samar Daily Express that the celebration will also feature massive information drive in cities and municipalities to be spearheaded by local nutrition action officers. The promotion activity aims to raise the awareness level of the public, specially mothers and fathers including caregivers, on the benefits of proper feeding of infants after the first six months of life to complement the continued practice of breastfeeding. Last month, local nutrition action officers have convened in Maasin City, Southern Leyte to formulate plans of activities for the 30th Nutrition Month celebration in local government units of Eastern Visayas. With the budgetary constraint of the national government, the NNC regional office has called on local government officials to support this month-long celebration. According to her, this year's theme is consistent with the continued promotion of the second Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos, which is "Breastfeed infants exclusively from birth up to six months, and then, give appropriate foods while continuing breastfeeding." "That theme builds on Nutrition Month 2003, which focused on the importance of giving complementary foods or other foods, in addition to breast milk," Santiago explained. Complementary feeding refers to the process of giving other foods to infants and young children in addition to the continued intake of breast milk. Usually, these type of foods are soft, mashed, pureed, or semi-solid such as blenderized rice-mongo-squash mix, or prepared commercially like nutripak, cerelac, milupa, gerber, insumex and others. "These foods are designed to meet the particular nutritional and physiological needs of the infant and young child, in addition to breast milk," Santiago said. She explained that there is no hard and fast rule as to when complementary feeding should actually start. The right age to start complementary feeding varies from baby to bay. In general, six months of age, the baby is ready for solid foods. The NNC regional chief aired his observation that some mother in the region believed that breast milk is enough for infants and that they ignore the importance of complementary foods intake. "Some mothers believe that some foods should not be given to infants at the early stages. For instance, the giving of fish was avoided because mothers feared that this would cause intestinal worms," she pointed out. Lack of complementary foods intake was cited as one of the main cause of malnutrition which include underweight, underheight, and thinness. Santiago emphasized that the first two years is considered the most critical in the life of the child. This is the period where a child is most at risk to malnutrition as a result of poor feeding practices. "Complementary feeding is important, as this is a source of nutrients for the child, in addition to breast milk when breastmilk can no longer give all nutrient needs of the infants," she stressed. For health officials and nutritionist, the continued breastfeeding and right complementary foods intake, children are assured of their right to adequate food for a healthy and active body. "A well-fed child is the first step toward becoming a bright child because every Filipino child deserves to be bright," Santiago said. She added: "To ensure that the nutritional needs of children are met, complementary foods must be given timely, nutritionally adequate in quality and quantity, and safe." (Sarwell Q. Meniano) |