SAN JOSE, Antique – Feeding programs especially catered to children must be science-based, according to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Western Visayas.
In a virtual press interview, DOST-6 regional director Rowen Gelonga conveyed that a feeding program anchored in science boosts the proper formulation of food nutrients needed to help address the growth and development of children.
“It is important that feeding programs are science-based so that we can come up with the proper formulation to ensure that our children are not just full. Rather, they are consuming the right nutritional content so that we can address their growth and development,” Gelonga said in a mix of English and local language.
Citing a study from the World Health Organization in the previous years, Gelonga emphasized the first 60 months of a child as crucial development in providing a proper nutrition.
He added that failure to provide the right nutritional intake at such an early stage, despite the child consuming large amount of food in later years, would result to barely attaining the full potential as a human being as the development was compromised during that critical period.
“That’s why it is important that after breastfeeding at zero to 60 months, the nutritional intake is complete so that we won’t compromise the full potential as a human being, both physically and mentally,” he said.
Meanwhile, Provincial Science and Technology director shared the establishment of a complementary food facility project of DOST-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) in the province to help in mitigating the nutritional issues of infants and children.
“We have been producing blended food such as rice-monggo as well as other derivatives like polvoron, crunchies and cookies. So this is ongoing. This is also being supported by the LGUs of the province of Antique as well as other provinces,” Fabila said.
Gelonga, on the other hand, noted that the complementary food project currently housed at University of Antique adopts a simple formulation involving rice, monggo and sesame.
According to him, these ingredients are good sources of carbohydrates, protein and amino acids essential for a person’s growth and nutrition.
“This simple formulation, you can use it as a porridge and feed this to the children. It is a very good formulation in order to address the nutritional requirement of the kids,” Gelonga said. (PIA-6 Antique/PN)
