Nutrition Month celebration to kick off July 6

The City Health Office (CHO), through its Nutrition Division, is set to launch this year’s celebration of the Nutrition Month on Thursday, July 6.

The Nutrition Month is celebrated every July in an effort to diversify Filipino eating habits with healthier diets and more organic food options.

This year’s theme “Healthy Diet Gawing Affordable for All!” highlights the health sector’s campaign of making healthy food options more accessible to all Filipinos. The CHO has started bringing the campaign to communities, barangays, and schools all over the city.

“Ang atong tumong og tinguha ani nga mahibalo tanang katawhan about sa nutrition. Kinahanglan atong i-promote na suportahan atong nutrition security and affordability and access sa atoang mga pagkaon and hoping na mag-end ang hunger (Our objective is to let everyone know about nutrition. We need to promote nutrition security and affordability and access to our food as we hope to end hunger),” said CHO City Nutrition Division Head Beth Banzon during the Madayaw Dabaw program aired over the Davao City Disaster Radio on Tuesday.

This year’s campaign revolves around three initiatives for nutrition security. The first initiative is to sway nursing mothers to breastfeed their children 0-2 years old, with complementary feeding at 6 months onwards months onwards.

“Holistic man atong approach; dili lang kay pangbata. Sa nutrition man gud, ang healthy individual gikan na sa pagbuntis hantod sa pagpanganak sa bata hantud sa matiguwang ta (Our approach is holistic; not only for children. Because in nutrition, a healthy individual is shaped from conception to delivery to adulthood),” she said.

Fresh vegetables and meat products are also being advocated this month in lieu of ready-to-eat food products, Banzon said, warning against the dangers of preservatives in processed food.

The third point of the campaign is the promotion of food garden in every home. Banzon said homes in urban areas are urged to grow vegetables in pots instead of ornamental house plants.

“Gina-awhag namo ang tanan na kung pwede unta ta naay food garden. Kita man gud gusto nato i-secure atong pamilya na kana ganing naa tay makwaan inkaso kung mahutdan ta’g pagkaon so gina-awhag nato ang tanang komunidad (We encourage everyone to have a food garden if possible. We really want to secure our family—this is something to fall back on if we run out of food, so we encourage all communities),” she said.

Banzon said those interested in growing their own food can ask for free seeds and seedlings from the City Agriculturist’s Office. CIO