Malnutrition

[sonjack2847]

This is so sad as this is not that poor a country.

 

Children in the Philippines suffer from "sub-Saharan levels" of malnutrition that stunts growth in a people who have traditionally been considered short because of genetics, a campaign group said Thursday.

Although economic growth has surged in recent years, chronic malnutrition means the country has more stunted children than Ethiopia or the Republic of Congo, the Save the Children Fund said in a new report.

"The assumption has always been that Filipinos are just genetically short but what we actually see now are generations of stunted and malnourished children," said Amado Parawan, the group's health and nutrition adviser.

About one in three children under five years of age is suffers from stunting said the charity.

"Sometimes, the families may hide such children out of shame that they cannot feed them," Parawan told AFP.

"Because 'shortness' is considered a racial trait, it is not seen as a serious concern (but) stunting is more than just being short, it impacts children’s future because it hinders physical and mental growth," Parawan told a news conference.

Data collated by Save the Children showed Filipino men were on average five feet, three inches (1.6 metres) tall, one of the shortest in Southeast Asia, he said.

Men in the 10-member Association fo Southeast Asia bloc are, on average, an inch taller, with Singaporean and Thai males the tallest at about five feet, seven inches, Parawan said.

The global average for men is five feet six inches, he said.

International studies have showed the Philippines has the ninth largest proportion of stunted children, the group said.

India is the world's worst affected nation.

Manila's own surveys in 2014 showed one in 10 Filipino families lived in extreme poverty -- defined as earning 41 pesos (88 US cents) or less a day -- Save the Children added.

One in four Filipino children sometimes skipped meals, and as many as 1.5 million sometimes went a whole day without a single meal, the group said.

"These figures are sub-Saharan Africa levels of malnutrition," said Ned Olney, Save the Children's country director, adding little improvement has been seen in recent years.

He urged the government to implement measures to ensure children are well-fed, especially in the first 1,000 days after birth.

Failure to address malnutrition will lead to many physically and mentally impaired people, hurting economic growth, Olney warned.

[Gratefuled]

I've always seen Asians as short people. The Japanese were short before the war, same with the Vietnamese. Now, there are Japanese athletes, even a Vietnamese footall player. There are tall Chinese too. As for Filipinos,

I've seen many here close to 6 ft tall. Yes, it is the diet and yes, there are still many under nourished. What can one do? My wife read that there are 8000 babies born in the Philippines every day. I doubt that there are that many deaths to keep up with the birthrate.

Birth control is a start and you cannot blame the church totally for that. Common sense and education has a lot to do with it.

Hey, even in the states there is an alarming birth rate and there is legal birth control there.

Part of the answer is with the government. I won't go in to detail.

[Jake]

Has anyone felt starvation on a daily basis?  Put yourself in their shoes (if they have any) where 10's of thousands children are abused or abandoned and end up in the streets of Manila.  Frustration, starvation and desperation to do anything and everything to get their next bowl of rice.  I have personally seen young boys sniffing Rugby (yellowish liquid glue - looks like camel snot) to reduce their hunger pains. Not only stunted growth but many suffer from underdeveloped brain functions that has sealed their fate for the rest of their lives.  .  

 

The rats of Manila are fed better than the children wandering the streets of Manila.  The smell of Pasig River is a testament that nobody cares, especially the government and the church.  Photos ops and lip service of government and church officials is like a pitcher full of warm spit. 

 

Respectfully -- Jake 

Edited September 4, 2015 by Jake

[Gratefuled]

Hunger is world wide. I watched a television special last night about the famine in China during the Japanese invasion. People were starving. A very old man who was interviewed said that many would eat the bark off a tree, even eat the leaves. Some would even eat their own feces.

I've been to China and I see how well Communism has been for them. You don't see men sitting around smoking and talking or sleeping. Everyone works. Day or night, you can travel around and everyone is busy doing something.

Communism is not good for every country but it's better than starving for some.

[Jack Peterson]

You know? i am not so sure it is Malnutrition that the PI suffers but Bad Nutrition. I have just come back from the City and most of the Street food vendors are packed with Customers. Snack time is 10am usually here in Dumaguete The 2 large Colleges I passed were out for break, Pavements and Road side swamped with People Eating. No they Don't Starve here but I question the Intake of Nutrition.

 

having said this I agree with an earlier post, they sure are a growing race of People as in Size as well as Numbers and Obesity is a growing problem and that could be addressed.

 

Just as a side, My Daughter has a Guide Camp at School Tonight. Food is grilled Pork or Chicken, Rice + Fruit and about 150 peso of Snack Junk, Go Figure and that will be with Coke and not Water. :unsure:

 

JMHO :)

 

JP :tiphat:

[Gratefuled]

Jack Peterson is partly right about being malnourished. Filipinos are used to eating white rice 3 times a day even if nothing else. White rice has no nutirents, it's just carbohydrates.

I know that the poor are grateful for rice in any amounts but because they have no other choice if they have a lot of children to feed.

 

I also agree with the obesity. Starting with street vendors to fast foods to any place that serves food. They are always busy.

 

 

The Philippines is not alone with the junk food craze. The states has more than its share of obese people.

[Dave Hounddriver]

So I went for a walk and looked around and did some talking.  It appears that the wealthier, 'high class', well fed filipinas are the same height as the poor, 'malnourished' ones.  Looks like someone got their wires crossed.  Although the ones with money do tend to grow 'outward'.

 

Where do people get these ideas that all filipinas are poor and malnourished  :1 (103):

[sonjack2847]

So I went for a walk and looked around and did some talking.  It appears that the wealthier, 'high class', well fed filipinas are the same height as the poor, 'malnourished' ones.  Looks like someone got their wires crossed.  Although the ones with money do tend to grow 'outward'.

 

Where do people get these ideas that all filipinas are poor and malnourished  :1 (103):

I guess sensationalism sells newspapers!