News Feature: Help prevent birth defects - use
iodized salt
By Michael E. Serafico
MANILA, May 17 (PIA) - Iodine deficiency
disorder (IDD), which can start before birth, is the world’s principal cause of
preventable mental development disorders in young children. This can lead to poor school performance and
reduced work capacity.
Implicated in stillbirth, iodine deficiency also
causes spontaneous abortion, congenital abnormalities and thyroid dysfunction.
As such, it is crucially important particularly
among pregnant and lactating women to get adequate levels of iodine.
Based on the 2008 National Nutrition Survey
conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of
Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST), the prevalence of IDD was 25.7 percent
among pregnant women and 34.0 percent among nursing mothers. This was based on urinary iodine excretion of
less than 50 micrograms per liter (Β΅g/L).
Iodine deficiency disorder can easily be
prevented by consuming foods that naturally contain iodine. This includes fish, seafood, seaweeds, some
drinking water depending on the iodine content of the source, and vegetables
grown in iodine sufficient soil.
However, the same survey showed that the list of
30 food items commonly consumed by pregnant and lactating women had little
contributions to their daily iodine intake.
One of the best and least expensive methods of
preventing iodine deficiency disorder is simply iodizing table salt, which is
currently done in many countries.
Salt iodization represents one of the easiest
and most cost-effective interventions for social and economic development.
Yet, data also showed that only 15 percent of
Filipino households surveyed used iodized salt despite the promulgation of the
ASIN Law (or An Act for Salt Iodization Nationwide) in 1995.
The revised 2012 Nutritional Guidelines for
Filipinos (NGF) includes the use of iodized salt to prevent IDD as one of its
recommendations. The NGF is a
compilation of simple statements that give advice on the consumption of foods
and food components for which there are public health concerns.
Establishment of an effective monitoring system
to ensure the quality of iodized salt at the production and retail sites can
help attain optimal iodine nutrition especially among pregnant and lactating
mothers.
The Universal Salt Iodization (USI) program and
other measures like health education should be highlighted and enforced to
sustain elimination of IDD.
For more information on food and nutrition,
contact: Dr. Mario V. Capanzana,
Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and
Technology, Bicutan, Taguig City; Trunkline:
837-2071 local 2296; Telephone/Fax No.:
837-3164; e-mail:
mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph or mar_v_c@yahoo.com; Website: http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph. (FNRI-DOST
S&T Media Service/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog News: Pagbabago sa kalooban ay kailangan
para makamit ang kagalingan, sabi ni Coloma
Ni David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Mayo 17 (PIA) - Idiniin ni
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma,
Jr. ang kailangan ng mga organisasyon na magkaroon ng pagbabago sa kalooban
para makamit nila ang kagalingan sa kanilang ginagawa.
Nagbigay ng talumpati si Coloma sa mga delegado
at mga ginawaran ng gantimpalang ika 16th Philippine Quality Award (PQA) na
nagsagawa ng pagpupulong sa ballroom ng Heritage Hotel Manila sa Pasay noong
Huwebes.
Si Cloma ay nagsalita bilang kumakatawan sa isa
sa mga nakatanggap ng parangal, ang Philippine Information Agency (PIA) na
nakakabit sa PCOO. Ang programang PQA ay nagbibigay ng parangal sa pampubliko
at pribadong organisasyon na nagsisikap para makamit ang kagalingan sa mga
ginagawa.
Sinabi ni Coloma noong siya ay nagsalita sa
pagpupulong na siya ay naniniwala na ang pagbigay ng may kalidad na serbisyo ay
kailangang manggaling sa mismong sarili.
Sinabi niyana ang mga namumuno at empleyado ng
PIA ay nakaranas ng apat na araw na “pangkaloobang pagbabago” na seminar sa
Silang Cavite.
“Kung hindi mangagaling sa kalooban ang
pagbabago, hindi effective ‘yon,” sabi ni Coloma. “Ito ay mangyayari lamang
kung ikaw ay may kapayapaan sa mga taong kasama mo sa trabaho.”
Pinasinungalingan din niya na mga taga pribadong
sector lamang ang makakatanggap ng kagalingan. “Maraming taga-gobyerno ang
naglilingkod anonymously,” sabi niya na ang tinutukoy na halimbawa ang mga taga
military na siyang pinakilos pagkatapos manalasa ang bagyong Yolanda.
Sa loob ng 14 taon ng Philippine Quality Award,
ang PIA ay isa sa 10 ahensiya lamang ng gobyerno na nakatanggap ng ganitong
parangal.
Sa pagpupulong ding iyon na pinamagatang
“Exemplifying Performance Excellence Amidst the Challenge of ASEAN Economic
Community 2015”, ay mga representante ng ibang PQA awardess, kasama na ang
Lyseum of the Philippines University, Manila; Department of Science and
Technology Region XI; Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities; at
ang Zamboanga Polymedic Hospital, Inc. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Cebuano News: 4H Reg’l Youth Camp gipahigayon sa
Butuan
Ni Sheila Yatar
BUTUAN CITY, Mayo 17 (PIA) - Sa tumong nga
magkahiusa ang mga miyembro sa 4H gikan sa nagkadaiyang dapit sa rehiyon sa
Caraga, gipahigayon ang duha ka adlaw nga Regional Youth Camp didto sa
Goat2geder Hotel and Restaurant, Abril 29-30, 2014, nga nagdala sa temang
“Youth Empowerment for Food Sufficiency and Sustainability”.
Sulod sa maong kalihukan, nagsangka ang mga
partisipante sa walo ka mga kalihukan nga gilangkuban sa banana processing and
packaging, novelty making, corn production technology, rice production
technology, canvass painting, extemporaneous speaking, quiz bee ug singing competition.
Ang 4H Club mao ang hiniusang youth development
organization dinhi sa nasud nga gisuportahan sa Department of Agriculture (DA)
ug giimplementar sa Agricultural Training Institute (ATI). Naghatag kini ug
suporta sa mga miyembro niini sama sa education scholarship grants ug trainings
aron mamahimong mga entrepreneurs ug leaders ang mga kabatan-unan nga mao na
unya’y kaabag sa gobyerno sa pagpaugmad sa agrikultura. (LGU-Butuan City
PIO/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
