CHILD wasting — a severe form of malnutrition marked by low weight-for-height — has significantly declined in the Philippines, a research by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (188体育) showed.
The study, titled "What Determines the Decline of Wasting in the Philippines," authored by 188体育 Senior Research Fellow Valerie Gilbert Ulep and Senior Research Specialist Lyle Daryll Casas, noted a sharp drop in prevalence from 8 percent in 2013 to 5.7 percent in 2018, indicating notable progress in combating acute undernutrition.
Using data from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, the researchers identified key factors that contributed to the decline, including wealth status, maternal nutrition, and children's total energy intake.
One of the study's critical findings highlights the strong correlation between maternal nutritional status and child wasting.
It found that children born to underweight mothers tend to have lower weight-for-height Z-scores, making them more vulnerable to acute undernutrition.
This underscores the importance of maternal health in addressing child malnutrition and improving overall nutritional outcomes.
However, the country missed its 2022 target of reducing waste to 5 percent, leaving approximately 800,000 children still affected.
Ulep and Casas urged policymakers to intensify interventions and recalibrate strategies to further reduce child wasting in the Philippines.
