As part of this year’s Nutrition Month celebration, the National Nutrition Council is calling for a re-evaluation of the food intake of the average Filipino. This is a response to the recent statistics of our unhealthy food consumption behaviour. 7 out of 10 Filipino households do not get the sufficient dietary nutrition required to take on our day-to-day activities.

Intake of fat, sugar, and salt must also be lessened. Filipinos have developed a habit of consuming nutrient-poor food products that are high in saturated fats, trans fat, refined carbohydrates, and sodium.

According to FNRI, the Filipino’s dietary pattern showed a consistent decline in consumption of fruits and vegetable for the past 35 years. The UN health agency estimate that this behavior contributes to 2.8% of deaths worldwide, causing gastrointestinal cancer, ischemic heart attack disease, and stroke.