Malnutrition high in 5 Mt Prov towns

By Juliet Saley

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- Malnutrition is alarmingly high in the province particularly towns of Paracelis, Besao, Sadanga, Natonin and Barlig.

The Provincial Council for the Protection of Children bared this in a resolution, saying it was seeking help of Provincial Health Board and the Provincial Nutrition Council in addressing the malnutrition problem in the province.

Among causes of malnutrition, the PCPC said, were poor child health and nutrition care due to inadequate education/knowledge on proper health and nutrition care and poor socio-economic status.

The PCPC said this was because families had more children forcing mothers to till farms days just after giving birth.

It cited need for early introduction of complementary feeding considering some parents were working abroad or separated, teenage mothers or parents were going back to school or immature or had chronic or inborn illness.

Also cited as causes were influence of environment/change in lifestyle of  people like availability of junk, salty and fatty foods  and presence of video games, television, high tech gadgets which led to limited physical activities.

The PCPC chaired by Gov. Leonard G. Mayaen asked PHB and PNC to address malnutrition through proper planning with concerned agencies.