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BodyCon 5.0 Documentary Challenge: Rain Bautista (RESEARCHED BY: MIKEE LIAN O. ABARQUEZ)

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Title: BodyCon 5.0 Documentary Challenge: Rain Bautista

URL:
https://www.facebook.com/ufcgymphilippines/videos/bodycon-50-documentary-challenge-rain-bautista/1352122188329317/

Author:
UFC Gym Phillippines

Date Published:
March 17, 2020

Key Info:
The video appears to focus on the journey of a mom, Rain Bautista, highlighting her efforts to maintain good physical health while balancing motherhood. It likely emphasizes the importance of health and wellness for moms to live life to the fullest despite their busy schedules.

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BodyCon 5.0 Documentary Challenge: Rain Bautista | BodyCon 5.0 Documentary Challenge: Rain Bautista

As part of the documentary challenge for BodyCon, each finalist was tasked with submitting a video... | By UFC GYM PhilippinesFacebook

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BodyCon 5.0 Documentary Challenge: Rain Bautista

As part of the documentary challenge for BodyCon, each finalist was tasked with submitting a video...

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SHS PE and Health Q1 Ep 8 Optimizing your Health Through Physical Activities (RESEARCHED BY: FRENZHIE P. SAMORAGA)

# data[].attributes.body
URL:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=oexf0vSRZZA&si=fq8EY_R4gbgAN1QP

TITLE: SHS PE and Health Q1 Ep 8 Optimizing your Health Through Physical Activities

AUTHOR: DepEd TV

DATE: Feb 10, 2021

KEY INFO: Teacher Edgar Francisco talks about the importance and benefits of engaging on physical activities for our physical health.

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SHS PE and Health Q1 Ep 8 Optimizing your Health Through Physical  Activities

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Recreation for Life: Health-Optimizing Physical Education for Senior High School (RESEARCH BY: FRENZHIE P. SAMORAGA) 

# data[].attributes.body
URL:

https://www.perlego.com/book/3711840/recreation-for-life-healthoptimizing-physical-education-hope-4-for-senior-high-school-pdf

TITLE: Recreation for Life: Health-Optimizing Physical Education for Senior High school

AUTHORS: Regine D. Manuel, Al Denn Jhon B. Lozada, Prescilla S. Rubio

DATE PUBLISHED: 2016

KEY INFO: This book series for senior high school utilizes experimental learning approaches, age-appropriate concepts, and interesting activities that help students improve their fitness, health, and well-being as individuals and productive citizens of the society. It aims to educate on fitness and health which are essential to optimum and lifelong health and wellness.

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Fitness and Wellness Lifestyles of the Personnel of Sultan Kudarat State University, Mindanao, Philippines (RESEARCHED BY: FRENZHIE P. SAMORAGA) 

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URL:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/355143941_Fitness_and_Wellness_Lifestyles_of_the_Personnel_of_Sultan_Kudarat_State_University_Mindanao_Philippines

TITLE: Fitness and Wellness Lifestyles of the Personnel of Sultan Kudarat State University, Mindanao, Philippines

AUTHOR: Vivencio Lopez Calixtro Jr

DATE PUBLISHED: 2021

KEY INFO:

It is stated that "Physical activity is expected to lessen the risk from diseases" (Reiner et al., 2013). In addition, "Participating in physical activity is best answers to healthy lifestyle adding to most positive health, fitness, and wellness" (Ohuruogu, 2016). Furthermore, it is also stated that "physical health might be one of the determinant factors of the work ability" (Vedovato and Montero, 2014; Moulud, et al., 2016). All this statements from the study implies that regular participation and awareness on physical activities/practices can help avoid health conditions and help improve the physical health of a person, hence, being able to be an active and productive individual. This also applies to everyone not only workers but also for students like us.

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Get the young moving! — A call to solve the problem of insufficient physical activity - (RESEARCHED BY: HAREINE ABELLANA)

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URL: https://mb.com.ph/2022/11/27/get-the-young-moving-a-call-to-solve-the-problem-of-insufficient-physical-activity

TITLE: Get the young moving! — A call to solve the problem of insufficient physical activity

AUTHOR: Roni Santiago

DATE PUBLISHED: Nov 27, 2022

KEY INFO: “Physical activity has significant health benefits for the heart, body, and mind. It contributes to preventing and managing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. Physical activity reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety. It enhances thinking, learning, and judgment skills. It ensures healthy growth and development in young people. And it improves overall well-being.”

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Physical Activity can help prevent Obesity (RESEARCHED BY: JANA PORTIA H. FAILMA) 

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URL: https://www.facebook.com/share/KJx8HVF8M8QmvVYQ/?mibextid=WC7FNe

TITLE: Physical Activity can help prevent Obesity

AUTHOR: World Health Organization Philippines

DATE PUBLISHED: February 20, 2024

KEY INFO: Promoting physical activity at home, schools, workplaces and communities can also help everyone #BeActive.

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Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle - Central Mindanao Newswatch (RESEARCHED BY: JANA PORTIA H. FAILMA) 

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URL: https://cmnewswatch.com/maintaining-a-healthy-lifestyle/

TITLE: "Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

AUTHOR: Darla Gail Quinco, RND

DATE PUBLISHED: February 8, 2020

KEY INFO: "Physical fitness is not the sole basis of being healthy; being healthy means being mentally and emotionally fit. Being healthy should be part of your overall lifestyle. Living a healthy lifestyle can help prevent chronic diseases and long-term illnesses".

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Physical fitness is not the sole basis of being healthy; being healthy means being mentally and emotionally fit. Being healthy should be part of your overall lifestyle. Living a healthy lifestyle can help prevent chronic diseases and long-term illnesses.

Feeling good about yourself and taking care of your health are important for your self-esteem and self-image. Maintain a healthy lifestyle by doing what is right for your body. If you want to be a well-rounded, healthy individual, here are a couple of staying healthy tips that may help you do just that:

Maintain a regular exercise routine. No, you do not have to force yourself into intense workouts at the gym but you need to keep as active as possible. You can stick to easy floor exercises, swimming, walking, or simply keep yourself moving by doing some household chores. Do what your body allows you to do. What is important is that you continue exercising. Give at least twenty to thirty minutes a day to exercise at least three to five times a week. Have a routine; see to it that you have enough physical activity each day.

Be conscious in your diet. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, you need to keep eating healthy. Add more fruits and vegetables in your diet and eat less carbohydrates, high sodium and unhealthy fat. Avoid eating junk food and sweets. Avoid skipping a meal-this will only make your body crave more food the moment you resume eating. Remember to burn more calories than you eat.

Engage in the things you are passionate about. Every now and then, to keep the stress and the demands of life from taking over, take a break to do something you love doing.

Surround yourself with positive energy. In order to have a sound mental and emotional state, you must surround yourself with positive energy. Yes, not all problems can be avoided. But it helps to face such obstacles with an optimist outlook. Surround yourself with encouraging friends and people that will provide you with constructive criticism every once in a while, to help you improve.

Make it a habit to always look at the brighter side of life. Even if you find yourself in the worst situation, there is always an upside to it-something good and positive. Dwell on these things instead. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not that difficult, nor does it require a lot of work. Just keep doing what you do and apply the staying healthy tips listed above-surely you will be a well-rounded individual in no time.

By: Darla Gail Quinco, RND

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Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle - Central Mindanao Newswatch

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Physical fitness is not the sole basis of being healthy; being healthy means being mentally and emotionally fit. It should be part of your lifestyle.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Raising awareness about the importance of health (RESEARCHED BY: ATHENA ALEXANDRA CAINGLET)

# data[].attributes.body
URL:https://redcross.eu/latest-news/raising-awareness-about-the-importance-of-health

TITLE: Raising awareness about the importance of health

AUTHOR: SANDRINE SUNHA COUTO

DATE PUBLISHED: 07 August 2023

KEY INFO: We promote healthy habits, in areas such as nutrition, exercise, hygiene, the use of new technologies and emotional health. We discourage people from adopting risky behaviours that can put their health and the health of others in danger, for example while driving or in their sexual relations. We help people to manage their diseases appropriately by identifying diseases as early as possible, ensuring access to treatment and following treatment guidelines. And finally, we inform and raise awareness among the general public about the importance of taking care of their health.

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Health Awareness Officer at the Spanish
Red Cross, Sandrine Sunha Couto. © RCEU

Supporting EU Member States in their public health mission, National Red Cross Societies contribute to the health agenda at national and European levels. They are therefore well placed to help address future challenges and be a key partner in shaping the European Health Union.

We talked with Sandrine da Cunha Couto, Health Awareness Officer, to learn about the Spanish Red Cross' work when it comes to health, particularly with regards to prevention.
What is the Spanish Red Cross' approach to health?
The Spanish Red Cross' health work is defined in the framework of our Health Plan, which reflects the aim of improving people's health management to help them increase their physical, mental, social and functional well-being.

How do we do it?

We promote healthy habits, in areas such as nutrition, exercise, hygiene, the use of new technologies and emotional health. We discourage people from adopting risky behaviours that can put their health and the health of others in danger, for example while driving or in their sexual relations. We help people to manage their diseases appropriately by identifying diseases as early as possible, ensuring access to treatment and following treatment guidelines. And finally, we inform and raise awareness among the general public about the importance of taking care of their health.
To whom are these different programmes addressed and how do you work with them?
Our health work is divided into three fundamental programmes. The first one is health awareness and prevention, aimed at the population at large. The second provides care for people by helping them to have healthier lifestyles. It is aimed at people for whom we have detected unhealthy habits or risky behaviour. The third programme cares for people with inadequate management of their illness. It is focused on people with diagnosed illnesses, to reduce the negative impacts on their health.

Every person who comes to the Red Cross goes into a general assessment. If we detect health issues, we make a health specific assessment to identify the best approach to the problem.

We are normally faced with a variety of underlying causes, for example:

"I don't know" - people who do not know what behaviours are inappropriate. This may be due to a lack of interest in the subject or the difficulty of understanding or accessing correct information. For example, people who do not know the negative impacts that a heat wave can have on health.

"I know, I want to do it, but I cannot" - people who, although they have the necessary information, find themselves in a situation that prevents them from taking measures. It can be due to lack of time or financial resources, mobility problems, or they are not able to receive the care they need because of legal or administrative requirements.

"I know, I could do it, but I do not" - people who have problems in managing their health despite having the relevant information and the capacity to solve them. Within other causes, it can be due to not being able to appreciate the relationship between immediate benefit and medium and long-term damage, not wanting to assume the cost that a change in lifestyle might entail, or low motivation.

Through the initiative Conscious Eating, the Spanish Red Cross promotes healthy and sustainable eating. © Spanish Red Cross

Could you explain more about the awareness raising and prevention programme?
The main goal of this programme is to inform and raise awareness among the general population to contribute to the improvement of individual and community health. We cover different areas: nutrition, physical activity, hygiene, emotional health, sexual health, addictive behaviours, road safety, everyday accidents, non-communicable diseases (diabetes, hypertension, etc.) and communicable diseases (HIV and other STIs, tuberculosis, Hepatitis C). Through our website and social media channels, or with outreach activities (street actions, talks, etc.), we disseminate key information related to different dimensions and aspects of health.
Could you give us examples of concrete activities people can access as part of this programme?
For example, through the initiative " Conscious Eating "(Alimentación consciente) we promote healthy and sustainable eating for the entire population. We share useful tips and tools for acquiring good eating habits, and seasonal, economical and zero waste recipes on a dedicated website.

At the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed the service " Red Cross listens to you " (Cruz Roja Te Escucha) to provide psychosocial support and accompaniment. We have kept this service going to respond to people's diverse psychosocial needs. In addition, we carry out mental health awareness raising campaigns.

Another one of our projects is " Info Prevention " (Info Prevención), an anonymous, confidential and free multi-channel service that allows people to ask questions about HIV, other sexually transmitted infections and tuberculosis by phone, chat or email.

Through the initiative Concious Eating, the Spanish Red Cross promotes healthy and sustainable eating.© Spanish Red Cross

The European Commission is working to build a strong European Health Union, in which all EU countries prepare and respond together to health crises. What should the EU do to make sure the health union is inclusive and resilient?
The EU can play a big role in helping facilitate access to health care and treatment for at-risk and marginalised groups, especially for communicable diseases. Organisations like the Red Cross play a key role in the identification of these people and in the monitoring of their health status. Public institutions can leverage this knowledge.

In Spain we have identified that sometimes patients with chronic diseases do not take their medication as prescribed. This is also a reality in other EU countries. Identifying common health problems at the EU level could contribute to focusing efforts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Raising awareness about the importance of health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We talked with Sandrine da Cunha Couto, Health Awareness Officer, to learn about the Spanish Red Cross' work when it comes to health, particularly with regards to prevention.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
self care day at home ⛅️ morning routine, healthy habits & relaxing ideas (vlog) | Sophie Ramos (RESEARCHED BY: MARIAN AMOGUEZ)

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLZgqO9zffk&ab_channel=SophieRamos

Title: self care day at home ⛅️ morning routine, healthy habits & relaxing ideas (vlog) | Sophie Ramos

Author: Sophie Ramos

Date Published: June 25, 2020

Key Info: Taking you through a day in my life in quarantine and the simple practical self-care tips to keep me sane, calm, positive and healthy at home. There are the little things I do to make myself feel a bit better. It's very important time for us to take care of ourselves, maintain our physical health and not forget our mental health.

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self care day at home ⛅️ morning routine, healthy habits & relaxing ideas (vlog) | Sophie Ramos

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About half of US adults are meeting physical activity guidelines: CDC (RESEARCHED BY: MIKEE LIAN O. ABARQUEZ)

# data[].attributes.body
URL:

https://youtu.be/OBg3kI_NkvA?feature=shared

Title: About half of US adults are meeting physical activity guidelines: CDC

AUTHOR: ABC News

DATE PUBLISHED: Jan 27, 2023

KEY TOPIC:

"Exercise can prevent several diseases like obesity, heart disease and more. The CDC recommends 150 minutes of aerobics and two days of strength training per week".

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About half of US adults are meeting physical activity guidelines: CDC

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
2023 International Aids Candlelight Memorial (RESEARCHED BY: JANA PORTIA H. FAILMA)

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://mcs.doh.gov.ph/?fbclid=IwAR2AIaa75Qpq4Xa_uUbd9ovXgm4Y4hGMVzTFx0uRcNYB6VzZAG28y3_bZJ8

TITLE: 2023 International Aids Candlelight Memorial

AUTHOR: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

DATE PUBLISHED: May 25, 2023

KEY INFO: Aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by individuals living with HIV due to persistent discrimination and stigmatization.

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7 Healthy Habits Para sa Healthy Pilipinas: Time to Relax (RESEARCHED BY: ATHENA ALEXANDRA CAINGLET)

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8.) PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE OR PROMOTIONAL VIDEO

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8.) PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE OR PROMOTIONAL VIDEO

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTLWNtMBKm0&t=1s

Title: 7 Healthy Habits Para sa Healthy Pilipinas: Time to Relax

Date Published: September 9, 2022

Author: Department of Health (Philippines)

Key Info: The Department of Health in the Philippines released this promotional video in order to encourage healthy habits within Filipinos.

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7 Healthy Habits Para sa Healthy Pilipinas: Time to Relax

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
1218814 (RESEARCHED BY: ATHENA ALEXANDRA CAINGLET

# data[].attributes.body
URL:https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1218814

TITLE: Batangas guv targets expanded healthcare services

AUTHOR: Pot Chavez

DATE PUBLISHED: February 13, 2024, 8:50 pm

KEY INFO: BATANGAS CITY – The provincial government here will expand free healthcare services as part of its flagship Health, Education, Livelihood and Protection (HELP) program.

In an interview on Tuesday, Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas said the national government’s existing health initiatives, such as Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act and "Libreng Laboratoryo, Konsulta, at Gamot Para sa Lahat (LAB for ALL),” will be leveraged to bolster provincial efforts.

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Filipinos urged to take care of physical, mental health | ANC (RESEARCH BY: HAREINE ABELLANA)

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5.) LOCAL OR NATIONAL NEWS SEGMENT VIDEO

# data[].attributes.subject
5.) LOCAL OR NATIONAL NEWS SEGMENT VIDEO

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://youtu.be/xwjK45INDYY?si=KErjy16FrYUY2eaa

TITLE: Filipinos urged to take care of physical, mental health | ANC

AUTHOR: ANC 24/7

DATE PUBLISHED: December 20, 2023

KEY INFO: Lifestyle diseases, which are among the leading causes of death in the Philippines, continue to rise as a result of a lack of knowledge and awareness about physical and mental health. Filipinos are encouraged to take care of themselves, and the fundamental purpose of this news is to raise awareness and provide knowledge to the community.

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Filipinos urged to take care of physical, mental health | ANC

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SHAPE Philippines and Muscle & Fitness Philippines added to Magzter - FIPP (RESEARCHED BY: MIKEE LIAN O. ABARQUEZ)

# data[].attributes.body
URL: https://www.fipp.com/news/shape-philippines-and-muscle-fitness-philippines-added-to-magzter/#

Title: SHAPE Philippines and Muscle & Fitness Philippines

Author: FIPP

Date Published: December 20, 2016

Key Info:

“Shape and Muscle & Fitness are two of the most respected fitness magazine brands in the world, which come up with effective workout techniques and nutrition advices in every issue. By partnering with Magzter, these magazines from Philippines will now spread their wings globally and inspire more people to stay fit and healthy".

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SHAPE Philippines and Muscle & Fitness Philippines added to Magzter - FIPP

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
“We are very much pleased to partner our magazines, SHAPE Philippines and Muscle & Fitness Philippines with Magzter! With their […]

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Results from the Philippines' 2022 report card on physical activity for children and adolescents (RESEARCHED BY: ATHENA ALEXANDRA CAINGLET)

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Url: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9579405/

Date Published: 2022 Oct 7

Author: Jonathan Y. Cagas,a,∗ Marla Frances T. Mallari,a Beatriz A. Torre,b Mary-Grace D.P. Kang,c Yves Y. Palad,c Roselle M. Guisihan,c Maria Isabela Aurellado,a Chessa Sanchez-Pituk,d John Guiller P. Realin,d Marvin Luis C. Sabado,e Marie Eloisa D. Ulanday,e Jacqueline F. Baltasar,d Mona Liza A. Maghanoy,a Ralph Andrew A. Ramos,a Revin Aaron B. Santos,a and Catherine M. Capio f

Key Info: The Philippines is an archipelagic country with more than 108 million people, about 30% percent composed of children and youth.1, 2, 3 Surveillance data show an alarmingly high prevalence of insufficient physical activity (PA) among young Filipinos.⁴,⁵ In particular, the 2019 Philippine Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) reported that 84.6% of Filipino adolescents aged 10–17 years are not meeting the recommended amount of PA for health.⁶,⁷ The high prevalence of physical inactivity among young Filipinos raises a public health issue that deserves much attention from local public health authorities and stakeholders.

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Jonathan Y. Cagas, a,∗ Marla Frances T. Mallari, a Beatriz A. Torre, b Mary-Grace D.P. Kang, c Yves Y. Palad, c Roselle M. Guisihan, c Maria Isabela Aurellado, a Chessa Sanchez-Pituk, d John Guiller P. Realin, d Marvin Luis C. Sabado, e Marie Eloisa D. Ulanday, e Jacqueline F. Baltasar, d Mona Liza A. Maghanoy, a Ralph Andrew A. Ramos, a Revin Aaron B. Santos, a and Catherine M. Capio f

Abstract

Background/Objective

The 2022 Philippine Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents provides a comprehensive assessment of physical activity and other related behaviors, including the various factors and settings that influence these behaviors. It serves as an advocacy tool to increase awareness of the physical activity situation among children and young people in the country. This article describes the development and results of the first Philippine Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents.

Methods

Following a systematic process provided by the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance, a team consisting of 25 sports and physical activity specialists identified and reviewed the best available nationally representative data related to physical activity indicators. These data were then used to inform the grades of the ten (10) physical activity indicators.

Results

Sufficient data were identified to assign grades to five (5) indicators: Overall Physical Activity (F), Active Transportation (D), Sedentary Behavior (B), School (C-), and Government (B). Insufficient data existed to assign grades to the remaining five (5) indicators: Organized Sport and Physical Activity, Active Play, Physical Fitness, Family and Peers, and Community and Environment.

Conclusion

Despite government policies related to physical activity in the country, the majority of children and adolescents in the Philippines do not meet the recommended amount of physical activity for health. More work is needed to improve the translation of these policies into measurable programs, highlighting the need to create better physical activity opportunities and develop national surveillance mechanisms.

Keywords: Active living, Low-to-middle income countries, Physical activity promotion, Physical fitness, Public health, Sedentary behavior

Abbreviations: AHKGA, Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance; PA, physical activity; SB, sedentary behavior; YAFS4, Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Survey 4; FNRI ENNS, Food and Nutrition Research Institute Enhanced National Nutrition Survey

1. Introduction

The Philippines is an archipelagic country with more than 108 million people, about 30% percent composed of children and youth. 1, 2, 3 Surveillance data show an alarmingly high prevalence of insufficient physical activity (PA) among young Filipinos.⁴,⁵ In particular, the 2019 Philippine Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) reported that 84.6% of Filipino adolescents aged 10-17 years are not meeting the recommended amount of PA for health.⁶,⁷ The high prevalence of physical inactivity among young Filipinos raises a public health issue that deserves much attention from local public health authorities and stakeholders.

Despite the Philippine government's efforts to promote PA through sports, physical education (PE), and healthy lifestyles, 8, 9, 10, 11 available data suggest that the country has not successfully addressed the issue of physical inactivity, especially among Filipino children and adolescents. For instance, data from the Global School-based Health Surveys (GSHS) show that the percentage of Filipino adolescents meeting the global PA recommendation has remained significantly low since 2003, and there is an increasing trend in sedentary behaviors (SB). 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 It is still unclear whether this discrepancy is due to ineffective PA policies or a lack of technical capacity to implement existing policies. A more comprehensive evaluation of PA, including its sources of influence and settings, is needed to have a broader understanding of the PA status of children and adolescents in the Philippines.

The Global Matrix 4.0 project is an initiative of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA) to evaluate the extent to which countries are successful in promoting PA participation among young people, including providing opportunities for them to be more physically active.¹⁷ Each country develops its own report card following a standard procedure.¹⁸,¹⁹ The main output is the PA Report Card, a communication tool used to increase awareness of the PA situation among young people in the country. In addition, it aims to advance knowledge and influence stakeholders and advocacy leaders to create more PA opportunities for young people.

The AHKGA provides the definitions and benchmarks of the indicators, which the country workgroup uses as reference. Acknowledging that not all countries have the same set of data, AHKGA provides multiple benchmarks for several indicators (e.g., School, Family and Peers). After gathering and assessing the available data, each indicator is assigned a grade based on standard criteria. The ten indicators include behaviors or traits (Overall PA, Physical Fitness, Organized Sport and PA, Active Play, Active Transportation, Sedentary Behaviors), and influences and settings (Family and Peers, School, Community and Environment, Government).¹⁹,²⁰

The Philippines' participation in the Global Matrix 4.0 project aims to increase awareness of the need to provide more PA opportunities for children and young people. This paper describes the development of the first Philippine Physical Activity Report Card for Children and Adolescents, and reports the grades for the ten (10) PA indicators common to all participating countries in the Global Matrix 4.0 project. The purpose of the Philippine Report Card is to provide a comprehensive summary of the best available evidence on PA and other related indicators in the country, and to advocate PA promotion among children and adolescents.

2. Methods

Guided by the standardized methodology provided by the AHKGA,²⁰ a research workgroup (RWG) consisting of 25 academics and practitioners in the fields of physical activity, sports science, PE, psychology, and physical therapy was formed in May 2021 to develop and produce the 2022 Philippine Physical Activity Report Card. Published scientific papers on PA of Filipino children and adolescents (5-17 years old) were identified through systematic database searching (Scopus, ERIC, Web of Science, PsycINFO, SportDiscus, and PubMed) using the keywords "Philippines OR Filipino," "physical activity OR sports OR exercise OR fitness OR play OR sedentary behavior OR screen time OR leisure activities OR walking," and "children OR adolescents OR teens OR pediatric OR youth." Additionally, national surveys, government reports, policies, unpublished data, and additional relevant data sources were identified via manual searching or requested via the Philippine Freedom of Information (FOI) website.²¹ The language used for the search was English. Current evidence on the benefits and outcomes of regular PA for children and adolescents were also assessed and described within the Report Card to provide context, background, and justification for the importance of PA in public health.

Five national surveys were identified to contain potentially relevant information that could be used to inform the grade assigned for each indicator: (1) the 2013 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study: Philippines (YAFS4),²² (2) the 2015 Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS): Philippines,²³ (3) the 2017 Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey (PNDHS),²⁴ (4) the 2018 Philippine Health Statistics (PHS),²⁵ and (5) the 2019 FNRI Enhanced National Nutrition Survey (ENNS).⁶,⁷ In addition, 40 papers with potentially relevant data were identified via systematic database and manual searches. Furthermore, national policies related to sports and PA were identified via an online search of government databases.

Using the information extracted from the identified sources, the RWG prepared preliminary grades for each of the ten indicators: Overall PA, Organized Sport and PA, Active Play, Active Transportation, Sedentary Behaviors, Physical Fitness, Family and Peers, School, Community and Environment, Government.¹⁹,²⁰ Indicators were evaluated and graded using the standardized benchmarks and grading scheme provided by the AHKGA.²⁰,²⁶ The evidence was considered sufficient to inform the grading process if the data was derived from a national representative sample. The grading scheme follows a letter grade scale typical of a school report card. For example, a grade of "A" is assigned to an indicator if the country is succeeding with 80% or more of the children and adolescents meeting the benchmark. If no sufficient data is available, the indicator is assigned a grade of INC. The grade for Overall Physical Activity was informed by 2019 FNRI ENNS ( n = 10,175; 13-17 years),⁶,⁷ while grades for Active Transportation, Sedentary Behaviors, and School were informed by the 2015 GSHS Philippines ( n = 8761; 13-17 years).²³ The grade for Government was based on the 10 policies identified through the online search of government databases, evaluated following the scoring rubric suggested by Ward et al.²⁶ This scoring rubric was based on the Policy Audit Tool Version 2 (PAT v2) developed by the Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA) Europe,²⁶ which includes six (6) criteria with different score weights totaling to 100%: number and breadth of relevant policies (10%), identified supporting actions (20%), identified accountable organization (25%), identified reporting structures (15%), identified funding (20%), and monitoring and evaluation plan (10%).

The RWG invited sports and PA leaders, advocacy groups, health and education experts, and other stakeholders from around the country to an online meeting on November 8, 2021 to present and discuss the group's preliminary findings. Suggestions from the stakeholders to investigate further and request data from appropriate government agencies were considered. No additional data were identified; hence, the preliminary grades were retained, except for the Government indicator as additional policies were located. Follow-up consultations with selected stakeholders were then held in January 2022 to collect additional comments. These comments and recommendations were incorporated into the final version of the report.

3. Results

Data used to inform the grading process were derived mainly from two national surveys⁶,¹⁵ and national sports and PA policies. Sufficient data were identified to assign grades to five indicators: Overall PA (F), Active Transportation (D), Sedentary Behaviors (B), School (C-), and Government (B). Grades of incomplete (INC) were assigned to the other five indicators due to a lack of available nationally representative data. Table 1 shows the ten indicators and the corresponding grades, and Fig. 1 shows the front cover of the Report Card.

Table 1

Indicator

Grades

Overall Physical Activity

F

Organized Sport and Physical Activity

INC

Active Play

INC

Active Transportation

D

Sedentary Behaviors

B

Physical Fitness

INC

Family and Peers

INC

School

C-

Community and Environment

INC

Government

B

3.1. Overall PA: F

Two national surveys⁷,²² and three empirical studies 27, 28, 29 were considered to have potentially useful data to grade Overall PA. In the 2013 YAFS4, 47.3% of Filipino adolescents (15-19 years) reported doing physical exercise at least twice a week.²² However, the duration and intensity of exercise were not reported. The three empirical studies used pedometers or accelerometers to measure PA of Filipino children and adolescents, but they had small sample sizes²⁷,²⁸ or were limited only to one province.²⁹ Data from YAFS4 and the three empirical studies were ruled out for not meeting the AHKGA benchmark. The 2019 FNRI ENNS reported that 84.5% of Filipino adolescents were insufficiently active (i.e., doing less than 60 min of moderate-to vigorous- PA per day).⁷ The proportion of insufficient PA among males (80.5%), females (88.8%), and those living in rural (84.9%) and urban areas (84.3%) were also reported. The 2019 FNRI ENNS data implies that 15.4% of Filipino adolescents (19.5% males, 11.2 females; 15.1% rural, 15.7% urban) were sufficiently active (i.e., doing 60 min or more of moderate-to vigorous-intensity PA per day). Hence, a grade of F was assigned for Overall PA based on this information.

3.2. Organized Sport and PA: INC

Data from YAFS4²² and one peer-reviewed study³⁰ were considered for this indicator. In YAFS4, participants were asked to list down all activities they do in their leisure time, and 24.6% of adolescents reported playing sports as one of their leisure activities.²² However, it was unclear whether sports were played in structured, organized, and contest-based contexts as defined by AHKGA. In one peer-reviewed paper involving 408 students (11-19 years) from two public high schools in Metro Manila, 137 (33.6%) reported to participate in afterschool sports.³⁰ Of these 137, 75 (54.70%) were boys, and 62 (45.30%) were girls. Data from this study, however, was limited only to two public schools in Metro Manila. No other nationally represented data were identified to inform the grade. Hence, this indicator was assigned a grade of INC.

3.3. Active Play: INC

Two studies were identified to potentially contain data related to active play. In a study involving 380 schoolchildren,³¹ 29.0% of 12-year-old boys to 40.8% of 11-year-old girls reported free play in the form of traditional Philippine games (e.g., patintero, tumbang preso) as one of the most common activities they take part in. In another study ( n = 437), Bernardo³² investigated the activities Filipino children play at home and in school, and found that 32% of girls and 40.5% of boys reported playing outdoor/motor games at home. Both studies had small sample sizes and were deemed insufficient to grade the indicator. The RWG could not find any other data on Active Play and was, therefore, assigned a grade of INC.

3.4. Active Transportation: D

Three potential sources of data were considered for Active Transportation. In one study involving 2043 adolescents (14-16 years: 1053 males, 990 females) in Cebu, it was reported that 40% walked to school, and less than 1% rode a bike.²⁹ In another study involving 1208 schoolchildren, 8-10 years, from public ( n = 642) and private ( n = 566) schools in Metro Manila, it was reported that 49.5% of children from public schools versus 9.0% of children from private schools walked to school.³³ Data from both studies, however, were almost two decades old and focused only on one locality. One item in the 2015 GSHS asked respondents to report on the number of days they walk or ride a bicycle to or from school.³⁴ Based on the 2015 GSHS data, we found that 29.5% of Filipino schoolchildren (27.2% males; 31.5% females) walked or biked to school at least five days a week. A grade of D was then assigned to this indicator using the information from the GSHS.

3.5. Sedentary Behaviors: B

One national survey and one empirical paper were considered for this indicator. In a study describing the PA and inactivity levels of Filipino adolescents aged 14-16 years in Cebu, the authors reported that 48% of Filipino adolescents watched TV two or more hours per day (i.e., 52% watched TV for less than 2 h per day).²⁹ Data from this study, however, is almost two decades old and taken only from one province. Again, the data from the GSHS was used because it was based on a national sample and the most recent data identified by the RWG at the time of data collection. In the 2015 GSHS,¹⁵,²³ it was reported that 31.9% of Filipino adolescents spent three or more hours per day sitting and watching TV, playing computer games, or talking with friends, indicating that 68.1% (68.4% males; 67.8% females) spent 2 h or less per day on those activities. Hence, a grade of B was assigned to this indicator.

3.6. Physical Fitness: INC

Four studies that included physical fitness as a variable were identified via systematic database searches. 35, 36, 37, 38 However, these studies were not based on nationally representative samples and, therefore, not sufficient to inform the grade. In addition, consultation meetings with stakeholders involved in school sports and PE revealed that public schools conducted regular physical fitness testing,¹¹ but no publicly available reports had been produced. Physical fitness was therefore assigned a grade of INC.

3.7. Family and Peers: INC

Two studies were identified to potentially contain data relevant to the family and peer indicator. Florentino et al.³³ reported that about 80% of Filipino parents "consider PA very important to child's health" and more than 50% "always encourages their child to take part in PA." Data, however, limited to 1208 children 8-10 years of age from urban Manila only. In the study of Khan et al. examining the relationship between parental or peer support and adolescents' PA,³⁹ they found that Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, had the highest association between peer support and adolescents' PA. This report used the 2015 GSHS data that measured parental and peer support using the following items: "During the past 30 days, how often did your parents or guardians understand your problems and worries?" and "During the past 30 days, how often were most of the students in your school kind and helpful?" These items did not meet the AHKGA benchmarks and were deemed insufficient. The RWG did not identify any other relevant data on this indicator and was therefore assigned a grade of INC.

3.8. School: C-

Data from the 2015 GSHS¹⁵,²³ showed that 46.5% of Filipino students (44.6% males, 48.4% females) attended PE classes on three or more days each week. We requested data from the Department of Education through the government FOI portal, but the request returned negative (i.e., no available data). No other data were available except for the GSHS. Therefore, this indicator was graded C-.

3.9. Community and Environment: INC

A grade of INC was assigned to this indicator due to a lack of data. While there are local government policies pertaining to the establishment of facilities for use in sports and recreation and the creation of barangay sports councils, the RWG was not able to identify any data illustrating the percentages of children or parents who report having access to these local sports and recreation facilities and programs.

3.10. Government: B

Ten (10) national policies ( Table 2 ) were identified to promote active lifestyles among Filipino children and adolescents, including those with disabilities. Following the suggested scoring tool,²⁶ these policies were evaluated as follows: number and breadth of relevant policies (5/10), identified supporting actions, (13/20) identified accountable organizations, (22/25) identified reporting structures (6/15), identified funding (16/20), and monitoring and evaluation plans (5/10), totaling to 67. Hence, a grade of B was assigned to this indicator. Details of the evaluation are provided in the Report Card.

Table 2

Policy Title

Year Enacted

Scope or Purpose

Republic Act 10588 "Palarong Pambansa Act of 2013" ( National Games)

2013

Institutionalization of the Palarong Pambansa as the premier national sporting event of the country under the Department of Education (DepED) as a venue for talent identification, selection and recruitment of student athletes [3]

Improvement of the DepED's national school sports program and giving more prestige to the annual sports event by encouraging better participation of schools through incentives and rewards [3]

Encouragement of the local government units (LGUs) to take a proactive role in the promotion of the Palarong Pambansa locally and nationally by providing incentives and rewards [3]

Republic Act 7277 "Magna Carta for Disabled Persons"

1991

Grants of the rights and privileges for disabled persons by:

Adopting policies to ensure the rehabilitation, self-development and self-reliance of disabled persons [7]

Developing their skills and potentials to enable them to compete favorably for available opportunities [7]

Includes stipulation on providing training programs on sports and physical fitness and developing and implementing sports and physical fitness programs specifically designed for persons with disabilities [7]

3.11. The 2022 Philippine Report Card front cover

The 2022 Philippine Report Card front cover illustrates Filipino children playing traditional Filipino games such as Karera ng Gulong (wheel race), Piko (hopscotch), and Luksong Lubid (jumping rope). Studies suggest that, despite the prevalence of online games, traditional Filipino games are still played by Filipino children, especially those from rural areas.⁴⁰,⁴¹ This cover was chosen to promote not only PA but also Philippine culture.⁴²

4. Discussion

The 2022 Philippine Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents is the first-ever comprehensive report on the PA situation among children and adolescents in the Philippines. Out of the ten indicators, only five were assigned grades due to a lack of data to grade the other indicators.

4.1. Overall PA: F

Despite the government's efforts to promote PA through policies, the vast majority of Filipino adolescents do not meet the global PA recommendations,⁴,⁵ which have not changed since 2003. 12, 13, 14, 15,⁴³ There are an equally high prevalence of insufficient PA in male and female adolescents, and adolescents living in rural and urban areas. Nevertheless, the gender difference remains notable; more females were insufficiently active compared to males. These results highlight the need for local authorities and stakeholders to take action and create more PA opportunities for all Filipino children and adolescents, especially among females. Given the many potential benefits of PA in children and adolescents, 44, 45, 46 and the influence of childhood PA on future PA and health,⁴⁷,⁴⁸ PA promotion for children and adolescents in the Philippines should be a public health priority.

4.2. Organized Sport and PA: INC

Participation in sports during childhood and adolescence is often promoted for its potential to foster positive youth development and influence PA during adulthood.⁴⁹,⁵⁰ In the Philippines, opportunities for children and young people to engage in sports are often offered through the community or schools, local governments, private sports clubs, and summer recreation programs or sports clinics. 51, 52, 53, 54 However, despite the existence of school-based sports events⁵⁴ and afterschool sports programs,⁵¹ no nationally represented data were identified to inform the grade. National surveillance data is needed to monitor participation prevalence in organized sports and other structured PA.

4.3. Active Play: INC

Active play represents fun, sporadic, and unstructured/unorganized games or activities played indoors or outdoors.⁵⁵ We identified two potential data sources for Active Play,³¹,³² but the data were insufficient in terms of sample size, age range, and locality. Experts note that measuring active play is difficult and still requires further research.²⁰ Nevertheless, including a measure of active play in national surveys will help monitor this behavior. One strategy to encourage active play is to allow children to play freely during recess.⁵⁶ Recess periods in Philippine schools are typically short, which could hinder active play among children.³² School PA policies, therefore, need to have provisions allowing children and adolescents to move and play during free time.

4.4. Active Transportation: D

Active transportation, or active commuting, provides another opportunity for children and adolescents to be physically active. Our results indicate that one in three Filipino adolescents walked or biked to school regularly. This is probably because children and adolescents in the Philippines typically take motorized vehicles to go to school. Other possible reasons include distance from school, traffic safety, and weather.⁵⁷,⁵⁸ We also found that more female adolescents engage in active transportation compared to male adolescents. Gender differences in active commuting among adolescents vary across Asia-Pacific countries, calling for further research.⁵⁹ The establishment of bicycle lanes and walking paths across the country to promote active transport during the COVID-19 pandemic⁶⁰ is an encouraging move from the government. However, the extent to which this effort encouraged active transportation among Filipino children and adolescents is still to be determined.

4.5. Sedentary Behaviors: B

None of the identified policies specifically addressed SB. Even in the GSHS 2015 Philippine Report,²³ no recommendation on minimizing SB was mentioned. Therefore, it is unlikely that this relatively high grade is due to successful SB policy implementations. One possible reason is the lack of access to screen-based devices among young Filipinos. For instance, UNICEF Philippines reported that very few children have access to desktop computers, laptop, tablets or games console.⁶¹ The majority of GSHS respondents were from public schools, which are more likely to have children and adolescents from low-to middle-income families with limited or no access to screen-based devices. Another possible reason is the way SB was measured. The GSHS SB item about the time spent on a typical day doing SB (e.g., sitting and watching TV), excluding the time spent sitting in school or when doing homework.⁶² It does not capture the time spent using newer devices such as smartphones, which are more likely to be owned and used by Filipino adolescents,⁶¹ and other SB like sitting in motorized transport. The grade could potentially be lower if useful data other than the GSHS is available. Together with insufficient PA, SB are risk factors for many non-communicable diseases. Therefore, strategies to decrease SB at home and in school are needed to improve health of Filipino children and young people.

4.6. Physical Fitness: INC

Physical fitness is an important marker of health for children and adolescents,⁴⁴,⁶³ used for screening, monitoring, and surveillance.⁶⁴ Physical fitness test is an essential component of PE and school sports programs in the Philippines, conducted regularly in most public schools.¹¹ However, data from previous test administrations seems to have remained unconsolidated as no publicly released national report is available. This possibly reflects a lack of available resources, including funds and technical expertise, or competing priorities, common in low-to middle-income countries (LMICs).⁶⁵

4.7. School: C-

Schools represent an important setting in creating better PA opportunities for children and adolescents beyond PE.⁶⁶ However, due to the unavailability of data, this indicator was graded solely based on PE attendance. We found that, in 2015, almost half of Filipino students attended PE classes three or more days a week, which is a remarkable improvement from 2011, when only 1 in 5 students attended PE classes.¹⁴,¹⁵,²³ This increasing trend in PE attendance is encouraging, but there are still opportunities for improvement. For instance, schools in the Philippines offer intramural sports and other PA programs in addition to PE. However, there is no available data on the actual percentage of schools offering these programs. Such data could provide a better picture of PA participation in this setting.

Strategies identified to improve PA opportunities for young people in schools include: increasing the number of PE lessons, improving the quality of PE lessons, providing teacher training and capacity building, integrating more PA into the curriculum (e.g., activity breaks), providing more after-school sports and PA programs, changing the school environment (e.g., provision of equipment for games and playgrounds, involving parents and families in school-based interventions, involving peers and the entire school community, and promoting active transport to school.⁶⁷ While there is an increased effort from the Department of Education to promote PA among schoolchildren,⁶⁸ robust monitoring and surveillance mechanisms are needed to evaluate these initiatives.

4.8. Family and Peers: INC

Family and peers are important sources of influence in forming young people's PA experience by providing not only opportunities but also establishing norms concerning PA.⁶⁹ Strategies to support family and peers in promoting PA in children and adolescents are, therefore, crucial to help address the public health issue of insufficient PA among Filipino children and adolescents.

Correlates and determinants of PA, like parental support, have not been well documented in LMICs like the Philippines.⁷⁰ The available evidence on family and peer support are mostly from high-income countries and may not be applicable in the Philippines and other LMICs due to differences in social and cultural norms.⁷¹ Therefore, local sports and PA research on this topic can generate useful information to inform local interventions and policies.

4.9. Community and Environment: INC

There was insufficient evidence to assign a grade to this indicator. Improving the grade entails the enhanced identification and coordination of individual and aggregated data on the status of implementation of PA-promoting policies at the municipal level. This includes examining the uptake of municipalities of relevant national PA-related policies as well as the design and evaluation of their own ordinances, guidelines, or services to support the PA engagement of Filipino children and adolescents. Research suggests that built environments that support active commuting (e.g., walking or biking) is associated with active transportation to school among school-aged children and adolescents.⁷² Future work needs to determine whether the establishment of bicycle lanes and walking paths across the country encouraged active transportation among children and adolescents.⁶⁰

4.10. Government: B

Many of identified policies focus on the promotion of sports participation, while only three laws promote other forms of PA like physical fitness, active transport, and active play. Two (2) other programs/actions (i.e., Batang Pinoy (Philippine Youth Games) and Laro't Saya sa Parke (park-based and family-oriented sports-for-all program) were identified to support enforcement of these policies. A policy specific to promoting the rights and privileges of persons with disabilities (PWDs) was also considered for this indicator as it mandates inclusive promotion of PA and health among this population. The main implementing agencies of these policies are the Department of Education (DepEd), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) (particularly for PWDs). These policies, including those for PWDs, are not specific to children and adolescents, except for sports-promoting and PE policies implemented by the DepEd. Although funds are allotted for their implementation, it is difficult to ascertain the extent to which Filipino children and adolescents benefit from these policies and resultant programs due to the lack of accessible reports. Although some of the policies include reporting, monitoring, and evaluation plans, no data was found to inform of the status of the implementation of some of these policies and the resulting benefits to Filipino children and adolescents.

Most of the identified policies promote sports and PE for Filipino children and adolescents in general, with their implementation usually occurring in the school setting. This implies that out-of-school children and adolescents are not able to participate in these programs. As most of the identified policies are on sports participation, it could also be inferred that student-athletes could be the ones primarily benefiting from these policies. There is a need for policies that 1) explicitly advance other forms of PA among Filipino children and adolescents (e.g., minimizing SB, active play, active transport); 2) are more inclusive considering different demographics and health development status; and 3) promote their active healthy lifestyle not only in schools but in other settings as well (e.g., communities, families). More publicly available nationally representative data could provide better evidence of the country's efforts and could inform improvements in implementation and policies for better promotion of active and healthy lifestyles among Filipino children and adolescents.

5. Strengths and limitations

The 2022 Philippine Report Card provides a broad picture of the status of PA among children and adolescents in the country. A prominent strength of this report card is the collaborative efforts of the RWG, composed of academics from various fields related to PA. This collaboration, including the stakeholders' meetings, provided opportunity to discuss the situation of PA research and promotion efforts in the country, identifying gaps, challenges, and possible future directions. The use of a scoring rubric²⁶ to analyze government policies was also a strength of the report card as it allowed for a more objective evaluation of the potential of these policies to influence PA in children and adolescents.

Nevertheless, several limitations need to be noted. First, while efforts were made to identify all possible sources of nationally representative data to grade all ten indicators, five indicators were not graded. The RWG requested data from relevant government agencies through the FOI portal,²¹ but all returned negative (i.e., no available data). This apparent lack of information highlights the need for a comprehensive national PA surveillance system for school-aged children and adolescents. Subgroup analyses comparing young people in the Philippines by age, gender, location, indigenous groups, or ability levels would be possible with national surveillance data, which can also serve as a strategy for evaluating the government's efforts in implementing PA-related policies.⁷³

Second, grades of three indicators (Active Transportation, Sedentary Behaviors, School) relied heavily on the 2015 GSHS data, which was relatively dated, while the grade of Overall PA was derived from 2019 GSHS but reported in the 2019 FNRI ENNS. GSHS were conducted primarily among school-going adolescents (13-17 years), did not include younger children (5-12 years), was self-reported, and lacked context. Children below 10 years are underrepresented in the GSHS and need to be included in future national surveillance surveys.⁷⁴

At the time of identifying potential data sources, the RWG was able to locate the 2019 GSHS Philippine Fact Sheet⁷⁵ only after the report card was finalized. If the 2019 data were used, the grade of School indicator would improve slightly from C- (46.5%) to C (53.6%), while Sedentary Behavior would drop from B (68.1%) to B- (63.6%). Data for Active Transportation was not reported in the 2019 Fact Sheet.

Third, the grades do not reflect the situation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lockdown would have resulted in a significant decrease in PA among young people in the Philippines. For instance, one study published in 2022 reported that total PA of Filipino university students decreased significantly during the first wave of the covid-19 community quarantine in the Philippines.⁷⁶ The impact of the pandemic on PA of children and adolescents in the Philippines requires attention.

Finally, the Philippines is vulnerable to typhoons and other natural disasters. School classes in some areas are often suspended due to heavy rains and flooding, which could potentially impact young people's PA. No data is available to indicate how these interruptions brought about by natural disasters and, possibly, climate change affect PA of children and adolescents in the country. The national PA surveillance system should include assessing year-round variations in PA to account for these changes.

6. Conclusion

Despite the Philippine government's effort to promote sports and physical activity among its citizenry, most children and adolescents in the country fail to meet the recommended amount of physical activity for health. The results highlight the need to improve efforts in translating existing policies into measurable programs, create better physical activity opportunities for young people, and develop national physical activity surveillance mechanisms that capture not only overall physical activity but also other physical activity-related characteristics, behaviors, and sources of influence. Such surveillance data would provide a better reflection of the overall status of physical activity among children and adolescents in the Philippines. The 2022 Philippine Physical Activity Report Card is the first comprehensive evaluation of the status of physical activity of young people in the country, providing a baseline for monitoring trends for this population.

Author statement

Jonathan Y. Cagas and Marla Frances T. Mallari: Conceptualization, Project administration, Funding acquisition. Jonathan Y. Cagas: Writing - Original Draft. Yves Y. Palad, Mary-Grace D.P. Kang, Roselle M. Guisihan: Writing - Review & Editing. All other authors: Contributed to Formal analysis, Writing - reviewing, and editing (specific sections of the manuscript)

Acknowledgements

Jonathan Y. Cagas received funding from the UP System Enhanced Creative Work and Research Grant (ECWRG-2021-2-11R) for the authorship and publication of this article. The Philippine physical activity report card was produced in partnership with the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance and the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Human Kinetics with support from Sun Life Philippines as part of its purpose to help individuals live healthier lives.

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Articles from Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness are provided here courtesy of The Society of Chinese Scholars on Exercise Physiology and Fitness

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Results from the Philippines' 2022 report card on physical activity for children and adolescents

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The 2022 Philippine Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents provides a comprehensive assessment of physical activity and other related behaviors, including the various factors and settings that influence these behaviors. It serves ...

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Healthcare disparity seen in Mindanao-PIDS (RESEARCHED BY: MARIAN AMOGUEZ) 

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URL: https://www.pids.gov.ph/details/news/in-the-news/healthcare-disparity-seen-in-mindanao-pids?fbclid=IwAR3UtEExiGawdD8SP2u5mFUFl3Nc20cjvNyc4nAnf61fEGdVeacwOo3pFQg

Title: Healthcare disparity seen in Mindanao—PIDS

Author: Xander Dave Ceballos

Date Published: Nov 11, 2023

Key Info: There is a disparity in health care access in Mindanao compared to other regions in the country, researchers from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said.

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Healthcare disparity seen in Mindanao-PIDS

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There is a disparity in health care access in Mindanao compared to other regions in the country, researchers from the Philippine Institute for Develop

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Wellness, and Heritage : Did you know? (Researched by Marian Amoguez)

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14.) NON-COVERNMENT ORGANIZATION OR ACADEMIC INSTITUTION ARTICLE

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14.) NON-COVERNMENT ORGANIZATION OR ACADEMIC INSTITUTION ARTICLE

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URL: https://up.edu.ph/health-wellness-and-heritage-did-you-know/?fbclid=IwAR2LngWOSmxFg9cW3BhRuSQHbggxti0hNTz8JgpR_sRoBb5hTANNDSlXJLM

Title: Health, Wellness, and Heritage : Did you know?

Author: UP Media and Public Relations Office

Date Published: July 25, 2017

Key Info: For the majority, the increasing prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle poses many major health risks, while “for a very small minority, physical or sporting activity may be life threatening,” said the DOH. The PNGPA was developed with those considerations in mind. Apart from suggestions for achieving physical health, the PNGPA also addresses the needs of Filipinos aiming for physical fitness or “physical capabilities beyond health.”

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Perception of Physicians on Physical Therapy in the Philippines | Behind the Research - (RESEARCHED BY: HAREINE ABELLANA)

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URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mDBzMnQLtU

TITLE: Perception of Physicians on Physical Therapy in the Philippines | Behind the Research

AUTHOR: PT Meal Podcast

DATE PUBLISHED: Apr 2, 2022

KEY INFO: Behind the Research is brought to you by PT MEAL Podcast and the Philippine Journal of Physical Therapy, the official journal of the Philippine Physical Therapy Association. In this segment, we invite authors of select articles published in the journal to discuss further their studies, their results, and many things related to their topic. The goal is to share research with a larger audience, make it accessible and applicable, highlight the context behind it, and inspire others to conduct research.

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Poor diets, failing food systems, and lack of physical activity are causing overweight and obesity in children (RESEARCHED BY: JANA PORTIA H. FAILMA)

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URL: https://www.unicef.org/philippines/press-releases/poor-diets-failing-food-systems-and-lack-physical-activity-are-causing-overweight?fbclid=IwAR1gkEuuwcNvIOb_Bu2u4zTjEctpWy6WmAAINBmbwViiCU7_Jl9H3XP-zmk

TITLE: Poor diets, failing food systems, and lack of physical activity are causing overweight and obesity in children

AUTHOR: UNICEF

DATE PUBLISHED: Mar. 4, 2021

KEY INFO: The Department of Health (DOH), National Nutrition Council (NNC), FAO, WHO, and UNICEF jointly call upon the public, civil society organizations, academe, and the private sector to take action to prevent and manage childhood overweight and obesity.

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MANILA, 4 March 2021 - With the Philippines suffering from a triple burden of malnutrition together with other forms of undernutrition (including stunting and wasting), micronutrient deficiencies, along with overweight and obesity, the Department of Health (DOH), National Nutrition Council (NNC), FAO, WHO, and UNICEF jointly call upon the public, civil society organizations, academe, and the private sector to take action to prevent and manage childhood overweight and obesity.

According to WHO, overweight and obese children are more likely to stay obese into adulthood and to develop noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at a younger age. Obese children and adolescents may also suffer from both short-term and long-term health consequences. Factors contributing to the increasing problem of overweight and obesity include poor diets, inadequate nutrition, and failing food systems. In addition, limited physical activity is likewise contributing to the growing problem on overweight and obesity. Prevention remains to be the most feasible option for curbing the childhood obesity epidemic.

Results from the Expanded National Nutrition Survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) in 2019 reported a relatively low prevalence of overweight at 2.9% among children under 5 years old; medium prevalence of 9.1% and 9.8% among children aged 5 to 10 years old and 10 to 19 years old, respectively. Among Filipino adolescents, overweight has tripled in the last 15 years. There is a higher rate of overweight and obese children in urban areas than in rural areas and higher prevalence of several risk factors and environmental conditions could rapidly increase the rates. These findings from the FNRI study, together with new studies and recommendations for action, will be shared during a dissemination forum on March 4, 2021.

"The Department of Health recognizes the emerging problem of childhood overweight and obesity in the country and although its prevalence pales in comparison with that of undernutrition, it will be unfortunate to prejudice the public health attention it deserves to mitigate its future risk on non-communicable diseases, premature death and disability in adulthood. Further, the economic costs of this escalating problem are considerable both in terms of the enormous financial strains it will place on the health care system and lost economic productivity," Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said.

"To prevent obesity, we need to start early, that is in the First 1000 Days of life when we could also prevent undernutrition, which could also result in obesity in later life" according to Dr. Azucena Dayanghirang, Executive Director of the NNC. The NNC is leading the multi-sectoral Overweight and Obesity Management and Prevention Program of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022. The PPAN targets no further increase in child obesity by 2022 by fostering a healthy food environment and promoting positive nutrition behaviors towards consumption of healthier diets.

"From a public health, economic and moral perspective, it is imperative for Government and the whole of Society to act on this issue of childhood overweight and obesity. Curbing the childhood obesity epidemic requires political commitment at all levels, and the collaboration of many public and private stakeholders. A multisectoral approach is essential, and should provide supportive environments that encourage physical activity, restrict access to unhealthy foods and drinks, support mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months and to protect children from marketing influences. It is also important to ensure that policies and laws are fully implemented and protected from undue commercial interests," said Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative in the Philippines.

Overweight and obesity are complex and multifaceted problems that would require multisectoral and comprehensive strategies to effectively and sustainably prevent and manage. Sustainable, responsive, resilient and functional food systems can enable better and healthier diets, but while the food systems encompass a range of public and private actors, the role of government is crucial in developing and implementing programmes and policies that address the production, distribution, accessibility, and utilization of food in the country.

"Maintaining a healthy and nutritious diet is especially important at this time of a pandemic. To promote and achieve healthy and nutritious diets, sustainable, functional and responsive food systems - borne out of collaborative and multi-sectoral action - are paramount," emphasized Ms Kati Tanninen, FAO Representative to the Philippines.

"To this end, FAO is supporting the national government through the implementation of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2017-2022, which calls on policies and programmes to be 'nutrition-sensitive'. Policy measures related to food systems that support healthy diets should be enforced. These policies and legislations should also be in line with - and guide the country's actions towards - its pledges to global commitments such as the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition 2016-2025 and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly to SDG 2 on attaining Zero Hunger and improved nutrition for all. But more importantly, such legislations should be responsive to the country's unique health and nutrition context, objectives, and priorities," she added.

In recent years, several legislations have been enacted by the Philippine Congress to support healthier diets and nutrition of Filipinos. The Department of Education has also issued policies on sale of healthy foods and beverages in schools, as well as the promotion of physical activity.

"While there have been positive developments to enable an environment for better nutrition in the Philippines, there should also be a clear and prompt action to address the triple burden of malnutrition and to recognize childhood overweight and obesity as a central health issue. Aside from actively working with the Philippine Government and other partners to strengthen nutrition policies and plans, UNICEF also collaborates on generating evidence to better address overweight and obesity and ensure access to healthy food for children. We remain committed to support health and nutrition initiatives for every child, especially the most vulnerable," said Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov, UNICEF Representative in the Philippines.

The DOH, NNC, FAO, WHO, and UNICEF jointly call on the firm and continuous enforcement of the existing legislations, and to introduce front of pack labelling of commercially produced foods, and to regulate harmful practices such as the marketing of unhealthy foods to children. We also call on public to change the way overweight and obesity is viewed by society and become advocates for change for healthy food environments and policies that prioritize obesity as a serious health issue.

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Poor diets, failing food systems, and lack of physical activity are causing overweight and obesity in children