28/08/2025
๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ง-๐๐ก๐ฅ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐ธ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐
Two in 10 or 21.3 percent (%) of Filipino children 5 to 10 years old are underweight, according to the most recent National Nutrition Survey (NNS) of the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) in 2023.
This reflects a slight increase in underweight prevalence among school-aged children from the 2021 DOST-FNRI Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) at 20.8%.
Underweight prevalence is significantly higher among poor families, with 24.3% from the poor families and 33.3% from the poorest ones, according to the same survey.
Underweight is one of the four broad forms of undernutrition. It is characterized by low weight-for-age in children, or having a weight lower than those of normal children of the same age, and often reflects the current condition resulting from inadequate dietary intake, past episodes of undernutrition, or poor health conditions.
Poverty also increases the risk of an individual being underweight.
In response, the DOST-FNRI developed food technologies like the Enhanced Nutribun, Nutribunnets, and Nutricocokies to help improve the nutritional status of children.
Enhanced Nutribun is one of the governmentโs science-driven solutions to fill the nutrient gap among school children during the COVID-19 pandemic, when hot meals cannot be served due to health protocols. Presently, this nutritious bread is still included in feeding programs of the Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, National Nutrition Council and Local Government Units.
Enhanced Nutribun is supplemented with locally-available vegetables and root crops, such as squash, carrots, and sweet potato to improve its nutrient content and taste.
One serving or two pieces of an 80 grams bun contains 500 calories, 17 grams of protein, 6 milligrams of iron, and 244 micrograms of vitamin A.
Enhanced Nutribun was originally formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of children 7 to 9 years old, but it can also be enjoyed by people of all ages.
Nutribunnets, on the other hand, are bite-sized bread buns (4 pieces per pack) made from wheat flour, squash, malunggay flakes, peanuts, and other basic bread ingredients, with each piece weighing approximately 20 grams. This food product addresses vitamin A deficiency and protein inadequacy among children, as well as alleviates taste fatigue.
The Nutricocokies are also bite-sized, protein-rich cookies in a pack made from squash puree, margarine, malunggay flakes, desiccated coconut, sesame seeds, all-purpose flour, and egg. This was developed for children 6 to 9 years old, but is also suitable for people of all ages.
Currently, these products are being distributed through school-based feeding programs to address short-term hunger among school-aged children. This initiative encourages pupils to attend school while also helping improve their nutritional status.
These products are also being adopted by qualified entrepreneurs, groups, and other interested individuals for commercial production and distribution.
The DOST-FNRI encourages interested entrepreneurs to send letters of intent through dostfnri47@fnri.dost.gov.ph. This will be followed by a series of consultative meetings, site visits or ocular inspections, and submission of documentary requirements that will lead to technology transfer training, production and marketing, monitoring and evaluation, and after-transfer support.
Through these efforts, the DOST-FNRI and its partners are committed to deliver research and development products to help combat malnutrition across the country.
