The fight against child
malnutrition continues as Nestlé Philippines kicks off the third year of United
for Healthier Kids (U4HK), an advocacy aimed at creating public awareness and
action on malnutrition among elementary schoolkids to give them a better
future.
Initiated by Nestlé
Philippines along with private and public sector partners, U4HK continues to
provide nutritional education to parents, teachers, and communities to increase
involvement in adapting healthier eating habits for the family.
“Cultivating healthy eating habits
among kids is a global priority by Nestlé. In the Philippines, U4HK aims to help broaden Filipino parents
and millennials’ awareness about the prevalence of child malnutrition, and the
need to provide healthy everyday meals to Filipino children even with a limited
budget. The advocacy seeks to work
with likeminded organizations and parents to develop creative ways to share,
donate and volunteer,” said Paolo Mercado, Nestlé Philippines’ Senior Vice President for
Communication, Marketing, and Innovation.
The 8th National
Nutrition Survey conducted by FNRI in 2013 reveals that 29.1% of children from
ages 5 to 10 are undernourished. While this is a decrease from 2011 figures
(32%), the number of malnourished children remains high and warrants immediate
action. The research further shows that the prevalence of malnutrition is
caused by inadequate intake of food, with more than half of the local
households failing to meet the daily nutrient and energy requirements. All
these set against the context of faster population growth, which further
exacerbates the shortage of resources and poses a threat on the supply of food
and on the nutritional status of households in the Philippines.
“The real measure of development
is how a country takes care of its children. U4HK represents the fundamental
principle that all children have a right to be properly nourished to be able to
reach their full potential. The responsibility falls on all Filipinos who want
to make a difference in helping raise a healthier generation of children,”
shared Mr. Mercado.
About United for Healthier Kids
United for Healthier Kids
(U4HK) is an advocacy initiated by Nestlé Philippines
in partnership with FNRI (Food and Nutrition Research Institute) of the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the country’s leading network
ABS-CBN, Facebook and other institutions in helping address child
malnutrition in the Philippines. It is a global partnership rooted in science,
powered by creativity and united to help parents raise a healthier generation
of kids. For more information, visit www.u4hk.ph
and www.facebook.com/u4hkPH.