Dr. Mery Hernandez, president of the National District chapter of the Dominican Medical Association (CMD), is calling attention to the high levels of undernourishment in the Dominican Republic compared to other countries in the region. Dr. Hernandez said that in the region, the DR is only above Bolivia, Haiti and Guatemala. On the occasion of the celebration of the World Food Day, sponsored by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), Dr. Hernandez said that there was chronic undernourishment of 9.8% in children under the age of five. She said low breastfeeding rates and lack of prevention programs are two of the main reasons for the low nutrition levels found in children.
She commented that undernourishment increases the risk of diarrhea, respiratory illnesses, allergies, overweight and personality disorders.
She said it was unfortunate that nutrition is not taught in the country and called on the new Public Health Minister to create inter-institutional alliances to reduce undernourishment.
Also speaking on the topic, Dr. Jimmy Barranco, coordinator of the Clinical Nutrition specialty at the Santo Domingo Technological Institute (INTEC) called for regulating the sale of food products around schools and restricting the advertising hours for certain foods and beverages.
He called for regular sports programs to be included in the extended school day schedule. Dr. Barranco added that the school breakfast programs should be designed to educate children on better eating habits instead of being based on their current habits.
“Globalization has affected our eating patterns with the entry of fast food chains and imported eating habits, at a time when lifestyles have become more sedentary,” he said, calling for swift attention to nutrition.
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2014/10/17/i841641_repblica-dominicana-est-entre-los-pases-con-alto-ndice-desnutricin.html