Awareness of Parents Regarding their Children Nutrition in

Barangay Bacsil San Fernando La Union

Background of the study

Nutrition is the sum total of the processes involved in the intake and
utilization of food substance by living organisms including ingestion,
digestion, transport and metabolism of nutrients found in food.

Adequate nutrition during early childhood is fundamental to the

development of each child’s potential. It is established that the period
from birth to two years of age is a ”critical window” for the growth, health
and overall survival of children.

Good food is important for good health. Children who are well fed during
the first two years of life are more likely to stay healthy for the rest of
their childhood. During the first six months of a child’s life, breast milk
alone is the ideal food. It contains all the nutrients needed for healthy
growth as well as immune factors that protect against common childhood
infections.

Good nutrition is the cornerstone for survival, health and development for
current and succeeding generations. Well-nourished children perform
better in school, grow into healthy adults and in turn give their children a
better start in life.

Nutritional needs change throughout an individual‘s life, depending on

genetics, rate of growth, daily activity, and many other factors. Nutritional
needs also vary from individual to individual. ‗Nutritional status,‘ hence is
the condition of health of the individual as influenced by the utilization of
nutrients, namely proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, dietary
fibre and water.

Statement of the problem

Sufficient nutritional awareness creates an environment of health and

wellbeing for both parents and children. As the idea of nutritional
importance is not new, it is of immense interest as to why malnutrition
still remains a high cause of disease and illnesses in to our society.

The reason is a lack of nutritional awareness. Parents in many

circumstances know that it is important to serve nutritional food at home,
but in many cases are unaware of what exactly constitutes nutrition. A lack
of effort is many a times to blame as well for poor nutritional practices at
home. Hence, this study measured awareness, as it is interpreted into
daily and weekly nutritional practice.
General Objective

The report inquiries into the nutrition practices at home, in regards to

quantity and quality. the scope of this report to know what kind of foods
parents are feeding their children, how often, and under what
circumstances.

Specific objective

- Identify the circumstances under which primary children in depressed

urban areas receive their nutrition

- Identify household nutrition practices, through analyzing the foods that

parents provide to their children on a daily basis, and foods which they do
not

- Identify parent‘s attitudes towards how their children‘s food is sourced

on a daily basis