Children in the Philippines suffer from "sub-Saharan levels" of malnutrition that stunts growth in a people who have traditionally been considered short because of genetics, a campaign group said Thursday. Although economic growth has surged in recent years, chronic malnutrition means the country has more stunted children than Ethiopia or the Republic of Congo, the Save the Children Fund said in a new report. "The assumption has always been that Filipinos are just genetically short but what we actually see now are generations of stunted and malnourished children," said Amado Parawan, the group's health and nutrition adviser. About one in three children under five years of age is suffers from stunting said the charity. "Sometimes, the families may hide such children out of shame that they cannot feed them," Parawan told AFP. "Because 'shortness' is considered a racial trait, it is not seen as a serious concern (but) stunting is more than just being short, it impacts children?s future because it hinders physical and mental growth," Parawan told a news conference. Data collated by Save the Children showed Filipino men were on average five feet, three inches (1.6 metres) tall, one of the shortest in Southeast Asia, he said. Men in the 10-member Association fo Southeast Asia bloc are, on average, an inch taller, with Singaporean and Thai males the tallest at about five feet, seven inches, Parawan said. The global average for men is five feet six inches, he said. International studies have showed the Philippines has the ninth largest proportion of stunted children, the group said. India is the world's worst affected nation. Philippine children stunted by malnutrition: welfare report - Yahoo News UK
According to other sources it is prime suspect in the Obesity also and that is getting very evident! JP
Very true, but rice will fill a belly. A lot of people eat only rice and a can of 555 mystery meat for a family and call it dinner. Many times that is all they can afford. A full belly trumps protein every time. Trivia: When I'm with my wife at her family home in Bacong people sometimes drop by at lunch or dinner time and the guests always get fed. It seems if someone comes at meal time they are probably hungry and have nothing at home, my wife's family always feeds them.
