MANILA, Philippines — Poor nutrition is costing the Philippine economy an estimated $8.5 billion (P496 billion) annually, equivalent to 2-3% of the country’s gross domestic product, according to Nutrition International.
To put this into perspective, the Philippines loses P1.36 billion every day — money that could have been earned or saved.
This economic loss reflects not only reduced workforce productivity but also higher healthcare expenses linked to stunting and malnutrition-related diseases, ultimately depriving the nation of vital opportunities for growth and development.
According to Nutrition International, approximately 3.4 million children under five in the Philippines are affected by stunted growth, resulting in an annual cost of $8.1 billion (P473 billion).
Stunting, a condition defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), is the result of poor nutrition and causes impaired physical and cognitive development.
Stunted children face repeated infections and insufficient psychosocial stimulation, which leads to poor school performance and, later, reduced productivity as adults. They are also at a higher risk of developing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancers. Malnutrition includes both undernutrition and overweight.
Out of 175 countries, the Philippines ranks 36th for the highest prevalence of stunting and sixth in East Asia.
In terms of birth weight, the Philippines ranks the lowest in East Asia, and fifth lowest in the Pacific among 200 countries. The economic impact of this is an additional $3.3 billion (P184 billion) lost each year due to the consequences of low birth weight.
Anemia is another significant concern, affecting 1.5 million children aged 6 to 59 months.
To quantify the economic impact of malnutrition, Nutrition International uses its Cost of Inaction Tool, which takes into account factors like mortality, lost productivity and cognitive losses.
In the Global Hunger Index 2024, the Philippines ranked 67th out of 127 countries with a “moderate” hunger level. Of the four indicators assessed, the most concerning is the high rate of stunting among children under five, with one-fourth or 26.7% of children in this age group affected.
Around 5.9% of the Filipino population is also considered undernourished, failing to meet essential nutrient requirements. As a result, 27 out of every 1,000 children are unable to celebrate their fifth birthday due to malnutrition.
Government efforts. To combat this, the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are working together on the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project, which seeks to improve nutrition and health services through community-based interventions and stronger institutional support.
The initiative is backed by $178 million (P10.39 billion) in funding from the World Bank, along with technical support from UNICEF. Focused on supporting family nutrition and planning services, the project also includes training for local government staff.
Workshops in communities cover essential topics such as maternal care during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and the introduction of solid foods to children. The program also addresses issues surrounding community food production, water sanitation and hygiene.