MindaNews » Malnutrition rate in Surigao City higher in 2011.

By Roel Catoto
February 24, 2012

SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews/23 February) – Malnutrition rate in the city among children below seven years was higher in 2011 than in 2010, an official said.

Based on the survey on malnutrition prevalence, 690 or 11.29 percent of 17, 381 children below 7 years were found to be undernourished or underweight in 2011. In 2010, malnutrition prevalence was 11.22 percent or 707 children of 18,517 who underwent weighing.

Florence R. Dela Cruz, city nutritionist and dietician told Mindanews yesterday she was worried over the results, as she urged other stakeholders to do their effort to at least minimize, if not eradicate the problem.

Dela Cruz said that the increase in the rate of malnutrition could be attributed to the laxity in campaign and initiatives by the city’s 54 barangays.

The results of “operation timbang” (weigh) in 2010 showed that nine mainland barangays and one island barangay occupied the top 10 list.

These were barangays Sabang 19.24 %; Silop 20.13%, Canlanipa 20.27 %; Day-asan 20.35%; Togbongon 20.83%; Orok 22.45%; San Pedro 23.97% (Island); Mapawa 25.51%, Mabua 26.51% and Balibayon 30.46%.

Read full article @ www.mindanews.com