The Department of Health, through the National Nutrition Council, leads the nation in celebrating the 43rd Nutrition Month with this year’s theme Healthy diet, gawing habit for life!
Nutrition Month is an annual campaign held every July to create greater awareness on the importance of nutrition among Filipinos.
Throughout the years, the Nutrition Month celebration has been institutionalized by schools and local government units, as well as other stakeholders. The campaign aims to increase awareness on the importance of healthy diets which protects against under-nutrition and over-nutrition, and non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cardio-vascular diseases, and certain types of cancer.
A healthy diet, which is part of a healthy lifestyle, is the foundation of good health. It is a diet that is able to satisfy one’s energy and nutrient needs for proper body functions, growth and development, daily activities and maintenance of health, keeping well within one’s caloric needs.
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Hence, it takes into consideration both quality and quantity of food consumed by a person. It also provides just enough amounts of energy needed for one’s daily activities without going beyond one’s caloric needs so as to maintain a healthy body weight. Energy requirements differ from person to person, and energy provided by a healthy diet should be in balance with one’s energy expenditure.
Meanwhile, healthy diets during emergencies mean providing adequate nutrition, and not just adequate amount of food or calories. Energy needs can be met by providing a range of commodities, while protein needs could be satisfied with a mixture of animal- and plant-based food.
What are the key messages of Nutrition Month? It’s as simple as 1-2-3: Have 1 hour of physical activity everyday. Reduce screen time to 2 hours each day. Eat the 3 food groups every day for variety.
“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have the safest way to health.”
Romula P. Gravador
Tubigon Elementary School Sibulan 2 District
Sibulan, Negros Oriental
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