This July, the nation celebrates the 35th Nutrition Month pursuant to Presidential  Decree No. 491 issued in 1974, which created the National Nutrition Council (NNC) and designated the month of July of each year as nutrition month to be coordinated by the Council.   The theme for this year’s celebration is Wastong nutrisyon kailangan, lifestyle diseases iwasan!  

The specific objectives of the 2009 Nutrition Month are: (1) to increase awareness on the role and importance of proper nutrition in the prevention and control of diet-related lifestyle diseases or commonly known as noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) among the general public;  (2) to encourage individuals and families to make positive decisions towards proper nutrition, particularly along the consumption of healthy diets and the practice of healthy lifestyles; and (3) to encourage communities, national and local governments, nongovernment organizations, private sector, media, the academe, policymakers, and other stakeholders to put in place an enabling environment that promotes proper nutrition and healthy lifestyles among Filipinos.

Highlights of the celebration, spearheaded by the NNC, include the following  activities:

1. Massive fruit tree and vegetable planting event;

2. Monitoring of school and office canteens to check on healthy diets;

3. Contest among carinderias to offer healthy food options;

4. Food contest on healthy meals and snacks for pregnant women, children, and adults;

5. Mass weighing and measurement of waist circumference to promote management of weights;

6. Campaign against the excessive use of white condiments (i.e., sugar, salt, and monosodium glutamate); and

7. Conduct of a revitalized and repackaged HL (healthy lifestyle) to the Max through conduct of campaigns on seven major vital healthy practices:

   1. no smoking (Huwag Manigarilyo)
   2. no to alcohol (Iwas Alak)
   3. no to illegal drugs (Talo Ka sa Droga)
   4. eating low-fat, low salt, high fiber diet (Wastong Pagkain)
   5. preventing hypertension (Bantay Presyon)
   6. engaging in physical activity (Katawang Aktibo)
   7. managing stress  (Bawas Stress)

More information on lifestyle diseases are provided in the Nutrition Month flyer [ 192KB] prepared by the NNC.

Happy Nutrition Month!

ROMULO A. VIROLA
Secretary General

Contact Persons:

Ms. Redencion M. Ignacio / Racquel Dolores V. Sabenano
Tel. No.: (+632) 890-9678
E-mail: rm.ignacio@nscb.gov.ph, rdv.sabenano@nscb.gov.ph