A DEPARTMENT of Science and Technology–Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) survey pointed to a critical double burden of malnutrition, and rising overweight and obesity rates in Davao region
During the DOST FNRI 2025 Updating Survey Dissemination of the Nutritional Status of Filipino Children and Other Population Groups on Wednesday, Oct. 15, regional health, education, and social welfare officials stressed the need for localized interventions.
Mixed trends in child nutrition
Nutritional data released from DOST-FNRI assessment reveal encouraging improvements in stunting and wasting among children in the Davao Region, but concerns persist over rising overweight and obesity rates across older age groups.
For children under five years old, the prevalence of underweight in the Davao Region dropped from 17.9% in 2023 to 14.2%, falling below the national estimate of 16.2%.
Despite this decline, regional underweight status remains classified as medium in magnitude and severity.
Stunting among under-fives similarly decreased slightly from 28.1% to 25.2%, while wasting rates among young children also saw a reduction, dropping from 6% to 3.7%, placing the region at a low-to-medium level of public health significance that sits below the 5.1% national baseline.
Meanwhile, overweight and obesity among under-fives eased from 3.2% to 2.7%.
Among school-age children aged 5 to 10, underweight prevalence decreased from 20.6% in 2023 to 18.4% by 2025, but roughly one in every five children in this age group remains underweight.
Stunting for this demographic similarly declined from 24% to 19%, while wasting dipped slightly from 6.1% to 5.3%.
The data highlighted a concerning upward trajectory in over-nutrition as overweight and obesity rates among school-age children rose from 2023 levels to reach 14.1% by 2025.
DOST- FNRI said this pattern signals that excess weight concerns are emerging earlier in childhood.
Among teenagers and adolescents, stunting also saw a slight decrease from 23.9% to 22.2%, though it maintains a rate where roughly one in five adolescents in the region remains stunted.
Wasting among adolescents registered a significant improvement, falling from 8.6% to 6.7% positioning the Davao Region among areas with the lowest adolescent wasting prevalence nationwide.
Mirroring the trend seen in younger groups, adolescent overweight and obesity increased from 10.4% in 2023 to 14.4% by 2025.
Double burden of malnutrition, agency interventions
The Department of Health (DOH) XI warned that a double burden of malnutrition persists in Davao region, citing DOST FNRI 2025 Updating Survey.
The World Health Organization describes the double burden of malnutrition as the coexistence of undernutrition (stunting, wasting, underweight, or micronutrient deficiencies) alongside overnutrition (overweight, obesity, or diet-related noncommunicable diseases).
Mayflor Peralta-Espiritu, nutritionist-dietician of Department of Health (DOH) XI pointed out that stunting among children under five saw a decrease of 2.6% from the previous year.
Even so, one in every four children in the region remains stunted, which the DOH still considers a public health concern.
Espiritu also pointed to rising overweight and obesity among adolescents and adults.
She warned that without intervention these conditions could lead to non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
In addition, Reissa T. Silda, nutritionist-dietician of Department of Education (DepEd) XI noted that the double burden of malnutrition is evident in schools division in the region.
Silda said overall regional malnutrition rates decreased slightly from 15.20% last year to 14.84%, and overnutrition rates climbed from 5.89% to 6.13%.
Overnutrition increased mostly in city divisions, including Davao City and Panabo City, where both undernutrition and overnutrition went up.
She said Davao Occidental recorded the highest undernutrition rate, while Tagum City had the highest overnutrition rate.
She said the department has raised school feeding days from 120 to 200. A target of 220 days this school year was adjusted because of changes in the school calendar.
“We plan to add more physical activity to school programs and include tasks requiring physical exertion in learners’ performance assessments,” Silda said.
Parents are also urged to limit children’s gadget use and make time for active play at home.
Meanwhile, Espiritu said DOH is pushing for a life-course approach starting with maternal health in the first 1,000 days, alongside strengthened infant and young child feeding and dietary diversification initiatives.
She added the agency also provides technical assistance to local government units (LGUs) in using the survey findings to craft their local nutrition action plans to set priorities and resource allocations.
She cited that LGUs often do not use available data in their interventions, and that the survey should be treated as a practical guide for decision-making and not only as statistics.
She added DOH will work with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the National Nutrition Council and the regional nutrition committee to assist LGUs that need guidance.