It’s World Milk Day but Filipinos are late to the party.
“Filipinos are not milk drinkers,” according to Ms. Zenaida Velasco, National President of the Nutritionists-Dietitians Association of the Philippines (NDAP). Despite milk being considered as a complete food, packed with 18 of the 22 essential nutrients we need, Filipinos do not drink enough milk. In fact, many Filipinos are lacking the right amount of calcium in their bodies. In 2006, the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) found that only 57% of Filipinos meet the recommended daily allowance or RDA for calcium.
More than 15 years later, this number has not improved. This does not bode well for a country like the Philippines where stunting caused by malnutrition continues to be a major public health concern, especially among young children.
As the Kasambuhay sa Kalusugan ng Pamilyang Pilipino, Nestlé Philippines couldn’t agree more with Ms. Velasco about the need to encourage milk consumption. NDAP is one of the company’s key partners in helping equip local nutritionists and dietitians with proper information about nutrition to guide Filipinos in their health and wellness journey.
Critical for a healthy childhood
According to health experts, brain development among children is critical until age four. It is around this age that a child’s curiosity and self-discovery are heightened. It is both an exciting and important stage – one where toddlers learn and develop in many ways – from physical, cognitive to motor and social.
While growing up, school children need nutrients that will support their physical growth in terms of the ideal height and weight vis-à-vis their age, keep them alert and lively, and develop their muscles, bones and teeth. Drinking milk with essential nutrients like Lactobacillus Protectus, DHA, Prebio 3, and select immunonutrients, which are found in NIDO 3+, can help kids experience a healthy childhood.
For bone health and more
Contrary to popular belief, milk goes beyond bone health. While we know milk to be high in calcium, it is also a good source of protein, phosphorous, potassium, B-vitamins, among others, that our body needs to function well.
For school children who are returning to face-to-face classes, milk can provide the ‘doble tibay ng resistensya at katawan’ to keep them from missing out and being absent. BEAR BRAND Fortified milk is enriched with Vitamin D for bones, and Vitamin C, zinc, and iron to help strengthen young Filipino’s body and mind.
Going back to school also means being able to play their favorite sports again. With this excitement comes the need to level up their game once more. To do this, children need to start their day right. MILO, with milk as its number one ingredient, is enriched with B-vitamins and iron to provide kids with the energy to become champions in both sports and in life.
And while they are in school, with their favorite CHUCKIE choco milk drink as their baon, kids can enjoy recess time while having fun and bonding with their buddies.
‘Pambata lang yan’
Milk is not just for kids. Drinking milk must start at home and among all the family members. It’s a daily habit that parents, teenagers, young adults, and even grandparents should practice. Having one to two glasses of milk a day, including NESTLÉ Fresh milk, provides protein for muscle repair and calcium for maintenance of bones – across any age.
Studies have shown that prolonged low calcium intake leads to brittle bones as we age. Maintaining bone health is imperative for adults, especially at 50 and above. This becomes a problem if Filipino adults remain non-milk drinkers. This is where fortified milks, like BOOST, come in. Adults can benefit from whey protein to fight loss of muscle mass, Vitamins B6 and B12 for immunity, and probiotics and prebiotics for digestive health. These are all important to help keep them feeling bagets and have the strength to continue doing the things they love.
It may only be one to two glasses a day, but Filipinos at different life stages and with different needs can benefit so much more from drinking milk daily. For Nestlé Philippines, it is time for all Filipino families to join in the global World Milk Day celebration, raise their glasses of milk and toast to a healthy, nourished and happy life.
