Filipino children and adults who became obese amid the pandemic have increased, according to a survey conducted by the Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI).
The results of DOST-FNRI’s 2021 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) showed that 3.9 percent of children ages 0 to 5 and 14 percent of 5 to 10 years old are obese.
The obesity rate is significantly higher among children living in urban areas and those who belong to the rich and richest household, the survey revealed.
The ENNS survey also found that the obesity rate among adolescents stood at 13 percent while adults who are either overweight or obese are 38.6 percent.
About 30.2 percent of people in the age group of 20 to 59 are overweight, and 10 percent are obese.
Meanwhile, 6.2 percent of elderly aged 60 and above are obese, and 11.8 percent have chronic energy deficiency.
Aside from this, the survey also found that one in every four children under 5 years old, or 26.7 percent are short for their age.
The ENNS survey was conducted from July 2021 to June 2022 in 37 provinces and urban cities nationwide. A total of 141,189 respondents participated.
