What Determines the Decline of Wasting in the Philippines?

In the past three decades, the prevalence of child wasting in the Philippines has generally fluctuated between 6% and 8%. As a result, the country fell short of the 2022 Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition target of 5%. However, between 2013 and 2018, there was a sharp and statistically significant decline in the prevalence of wasting, decreasing by 2.3 percentage points. Still, the numbers remain substantial, with 800,000 children in the Philippines affected by wasting, putting them at risk for mortality. Thus, this progress must be sustained to meet future targets, including the Sustainable Development Goals (3.7%). Using the 2013 and 2018 rounds of the National Nutrition Survey (NNS), factors contributing to this decline during these periods were identified through the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition model. It was found that total energy, wealth quintile, and maternal nutrition status provide sufficient statistical evidence to determine weight-for-height Z-score (wasting). The improvements in economic outcomes, maternal nutrition status, and energy intake could partially explain the enhancement in the wasting status of children in the Philippines between 2013 and 2018. Sustaining public efforts targeting maternal and child characteristics, including the underlying determinants such as socioeconomic factors, is crucial for further reducing the wasting prevalence in the country. Further studies examining other factors, including child morbidity and dietary diversity, are recommended to assess whether they could explain the remaining gap in wasting prevalence during this period. Comments on this paper are welcome within 60 days from the date of posting. Email publications@pids.gov.ph.