Breastfeeding Rates in the USA

ANGELES CITY -- In line with the celebration of the Nutrition Month this July, the City Nutrition Office (CNO) here has launched a breastfeeding program and other advocacy activities.

The event started with a float parade participated in by daycare students in different barangays of the city.

Each participating daycare school presented nutrition themes, as students waved from floats decorated with vegetables and fruits.

This year's theme is "Isulong ang Breastfeeding: Tama, Sapat at EKsklusibo" (TSEK), which aims to arm parents, especially mothers, on the importance and the benefits of breastfeeding.

The theme supports the Department of Health's campaign on communication for behavioral impact on breastfeeding, which is "Breastfeeding TSEK (Tama, Sapat at EKsklusibo)".

This year's objective of the Nutrition Month celebration is to encourage all sectors of society to help promote, protect and support correct breastfeeding practices.

Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan urged every individual to be an advocate of breastfeeding, especially in the homes to ensure good health and nutrition of children.

Other activities such as food fairs featuring local and nutritious products; seminars for patients with diabetes and glucose monitoring; fun walk; contests on the most healthy child and cooking; feeding programs; poster making contests; seeds distribution; skills trainings and a nutri-jingle contest are all lined-up for the month-long celebration.

Part of the ongoing nutrition program of the City Government, "Pahalo-halo ni EdPam," a feeding and training program conducted recently, aims to educate parents on the proper handling and preparation of the meals of the family.

Calaguas said the pilot project of Pahalo-halo ni EdPam in Northville 15 in Barangay Cutud was very successful because 70 percent of the children who were listed as underweight due to malnutrition have been reported to be of normal weight now.

The launching of the second feeding program will be at Epza on July 11.

City Councilor Maricel Morales said nutrition in the family doesn't need to be expensive. "We only need to know the proper handling and the preparation of meals, and that already makes a difference."

In cooperation with the City Government departments, like the Gender and Development (GAD) Office, City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), City Health Office (CHO), City Agriculture Office (CAO) and the City Public Employment Services Office (Peso), barangay nutrition scholars (BNS) are trained on how to properly handle and prepare nutritious food for the family.