Philippine child malnutrition remains a drag on the country’s long-term economic potential, with nutrition advocates urging parents to pay closer attention to the quality and processing of milk products consumed by children.
FEIHE International Philippines said minimally processed fresh milk could help support the country’s campaign against childhood malnutrition, which continues to affect millions of Filipino children.
The Department of Health earlier described the country’s 23.6% stunting rate among children as “not acceptable,” warning that chronic undernutrition could lead to long-term learning difficulties and lower productivity in adulthood.
Data from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) showed that 5.6% of Filipino children are wasted, 15.1% are underweight, while 9.1% of children aged five to 10 are overweight, highlighting what experts describe as the “double burden” of malnutrition.
Dr. Yvonne Marie Ferrer, scientific affairs director of FEIHE International Philippines, said addressing malnutrition is both a health and economic priority.
“Raising a generation of well-developed and intellectually sound individuals is not just a health imperative; it is our economic lifeline,” Ferrer said.
She noted that many parents provide milk daily to their children but still struggle to see improvements in physical development, underscoring the importance of nutritional quality and nutrient absorption.
According to Ferrer, milk that remains closer to its natural state may better preserve nutrients and bioactive compounds essential for growth and immunity.
“Several studies have shown that milk kept closer to its natural state helps retain important nutrients, making them easier for children to absorb,” she said.
The company said excessive heat treatment during processing may alter nutrients and reduce the effectiveness of naturally occurring compounds such as lactoferrin, an iron-binding protein associated with immune support.
“When you subject milk to brutal processing temperatures above 60 degrees Celsius, you are essentially destroying the very nutrients you are trying to provide,” Ferrer said.
She advised parents to read product labels carefully, noting that ingredients listed first represent the largest component of a product.
“When fresh milk is listed first in the ingredient list, that means it is the foundational ingredient of the product,” Ferrer said.
Nutrition experts said improving food choices at the household level could help support broader national efforts to address malnutrition and improve long-term human capital development in the Philippines.
