DILI, 18 february 2021 (TATOLI) – Timor-Leste shows the progress in combating the country’s malnutrition following the recent research of 2020 Food and Nutrition from the Ministry of Health.
The head of Nutrition Department, Olinda Albino said, the Demography survey in 2010 and 2016 provided substantially different results.
“The two previous data showed Timor-Leste registered 58% of infant stunting index in 2010 while in 2016 it had dropped from 58% to 47%,” Olinda Albino said.
At the same time, she added that, the Food and Nutrition Survey evident in 2013 and 2020, indicates that in this period of interval, there was a slight decrease in the percentage of infant stunting which was 50% and 47%, respectively.
Otherwise, the demography survey has also underlined the number of Children Weaknesses in Timor-Leste from 2010 which was 19% while in 2016 was 24.
The same results with the data provided from the Food and Nutrition Research Department, indicating in 2013 the percentage of the child weakness was 11%, while in 2020 the result was 9%.
The evident from the national health surveys also indicates that in 2010 there was 45% children were under weight and the number has been dropped from 45% to 40% in 2016, while comparing to the Food and Nutrition research reports published in 2013 and 2020 showed the reduction in this category, falling from 38% to 32%.
Meanwhile the country’s obesity survey results from 2010 and 2016 point to a slight increase in obese children, which was 5% increase to 6%, respectively.
In contrast, the results obtained through the Food and Nutrition survey of 2013 and 2020 show that there was a slight decrease in relation to obesity, from 2% to 1%.
Referring to the Food and Nutrition survey of 2020, Olinda Albino revealed the differences in the prevalence rate of malnutrition between male and female children, while 52% of male children under five years of age in Timor-Leste are suffered from dwarfism.
Journalist: Maria Auxiliadora
Editor: Zezito Silva
