In the Philippines, undernutrition remains a major underlying cause of death and illness among children, especially those below five years of age and those living in highly impoverished areas.
There are worse cases where undernutrition reaches a point where the individual’s weight becomes too low for their height (very low BMI and growth). This is often paired with nutritional oedema, visible severe wasting, and emaciated limbs. These are cases of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).
Together with Drink, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) released a manual with guidelines that support the implementation and expansion of quality treatment for those suffering from SAM. The manual includes information on community treatment and accessible, specialized food and supplements.