With the theme “Wastong nutrisyon kailangan, lifestyle diseases iwasan!”, this month-long celebration centers around the calls for a heightened awareness campaign on the role and importance of proper nutrition in the prevention and control of lifestyle diseases among the general public. This is stipulated in Presidential Decree No. 491 or the Nutrition Act of the Philippines issued in 1974.
The decree tasks the National Nutrition Council (NNC) to coordinate with local government units, non-government organizations, the private sector, schools, communities and other stakeholders for the nationwide celebration of Nutrition Month (NM) every July of each year.
The four major lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases that currently dominate the list of leading causes of death in the country are cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancers, diabetes mellitus and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). (PIA)
