Malnutrition Reduction

Have you ever heard of the GO (energy-giving), GROW (body-building) and GLOW (body-regulating) foods? These three food groups are essential in our bodies to get the nutrients that we need. Without these, our bodies will become weak and we won’t be able to do our daily tasks efficiently.
Nowadays, we often hear that malnourishment is one problem with infants aging 6 months up. Because of our country’s crisis, there is a low supply of food which in return, causes sickness or underdevelopment to babies. It manifests that malnutrition will not only affect the health of one individual, but also to the whole country.
What can we do to avoid malnutrition in infants? Complementary feeding is a strategy the government has made which aims to give a variety of foods and liquids to infants starting from their 6 months while giving them breastfeed. Through this, there will be less cases of dwarfism to children 6 to 24 months old.
What are the right ways of feeding them? By continually giving breastfeed and complementary foods to babies, they will grow and develop well and will be free from sickness. Maintain cleanliness in the surroundings and practice giving them the right kinds of food as they grow older. Encourage them to eat when they are losing their appetite. Wash and clean the utensils in preparing the food. And don’t force them to eat. Be patient in feeding them.
As an individual, we can help disseminate the information about the Nutrition Month celebration. We should join and support in the different activities in promoting complementary feeding through production of streamers, media exposure, seminars, medical missions and others. In school, we can participate in special activities like nutrition quiz shows, cooking, essay writing, jingle making and poster making contests.
The value it implies to us is to encourage mothers to give their children breastfeed frequently. They can give their children 1-2 glasses of milk everyday, as well. Let us save these infants and young children from malnutrition. Let us take part and protect them from harm.

(Source: National Nutrition Council)