You are what you eat

Pork lechon, pork sinigang, tocino, fried fish, banana q, fish balls, leche flan, pork chop, patis, and a bottle of soft drinks. These foods are delicious for the Filipino taste buds but do they add life, as one soft drink company used to boast several years ago?



The study below says that about 25% of Filipinos are hypertensive. In my family, high blood pressure is common. My two grandfathers and father died from its complication--stroke. While hypertension may be a familial disease, the environment plays a major risk factor also. Filipinos love to eat oily foods. Short in fibers but high in carbohydrates and fats, it should be no surprise to see many overweight Filipinos when they reach their 20's. Being on the plump side may at times be regarded as being healthy, wealthy, and happy. Even kids are labeled cute when they are fat.


Although some people eat healthy foods and live a healthy life, in the great majority, do we really eat and live a healthy lifestyle? Going to the gym and eating organic and well-balanced foods may not be affordable to many. Do we have government-sponsored gymnasiums complete with all the treadmills, cardiovascular equipments, and all, where people can work out for a minimal fee? If we have, how accessible are they?


Whereas it is a personal choice to eat healthy foods, both the public and the private sectors should work closely so that healthy foods at affordable cost will be available to many. It may not be enough to recommend to eat fruits and vegetables, as what the article below says. Healthy lifestyle must be made available at all times to the great majority.


1 in 4 Filipinos has high blood pressure
Manila Bulletin, 2 Apr 2010
By Mitch Arceo

More Filipinos are at risk from lifestyle-related diseases, according to a survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST).

Recent results of the National Nutrition and Health Survey (NNHeS II) FNRI showed that more Filipinos have hypertension, high fasting blood sugar, and high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other lifestyle-related diseases.

They found out that one in every four Filipino adults (25.3 percent) has hypertension or a blood pressure (BP) reading equal to or higher than 140/90 millimeter mercury (mmHg), a significant increase in the prevalence of hypertension. In 2008, the prevalence of hypertension increased to 25.3 percent from 22.5 percent in 2003.

Moreover, the survey revealed that 11 in every 100 Filipinos (10.8 percent) have pre-hypertension or a BP reading at the range of 130-139/85-89 mmHg. This becomes alarming as high BP increases with age starting from age 40-49 years.

Meanwhile, five in every 100 Filipinos have high fasting blood sugar (FBS), which is indicative of diabetes mellitus. The prevalence increased from 3.4 percent in 2003 to 4.8 percent in 2008. The prevalence of high FBS or hyperglycemia peaks at age 50-59 years.

The survey also showed that three in every 100 Filipinos have impaired fasting glucose (IFG). If not prevented, IFG may develop to diabetes mellitus.

The cases of people with dyslipidemia or abnormal lipid levels, on the other hand, increased from 2003 to 2008.

The survey showed that one in every 10 (10.2 percent) Filipino adults has high total cholesterol level, while 21 in every 100 (21.2 percent) Filipinos are on the borderline high level.

FNRI also discovered that 15 in every 100 (14.6 percent) Filipinos have high triglyceride level, while 16 in every 100 (15.5 percent) are borderline high.

The prevalence of low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c) level increased from 54.2 percent in 2003 to 64.1 percent in 2008.

In contrast, the prevalence of high low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c) level did not change much, from 11.7 percent in 2003 to 11.8 percent in 2008.

A person is considered to have a low HDL-c level if the fasting blood measurement is less than 40 mg/dl while a high LDL-c level of the fasting blood measurement is greater than or equal to 160 mg/dl.

These are all major risk factors to lifestyle-related diseases, specifically cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and cancer which are the leading causes of death in the country.

To prevent these diseases, people must have a healthy lifestyle. The Technical Working Group of the FNRI produced a nutritional guideline for Filipinos. The group said that smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages are major habits which should be removed in order to start a healthy lifestyle.

They also recommend eating more fruits, vegetables, root crops, and legumes, which are sources of fiber. Fiber can help the body in many ways as it decreases the cholesterol level, prolongs the response of our body to blood glucose levels, and limits the intake of salty foods in our system.

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/250786/1-4-filipinos-has-high-blood-pressure