Food- based dietary guidelines for Filipinos: retrospects and prospects.

This paper reviews the formulation of positive, practical and culturally sensitive food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) to help Filipinos choose an adequate diet and foster wholesome food and nutrition practices to promote good health; and provide those concerned with a framework and reference for their task of educating the public on proper nutrition practices. An evidence-based approach to evaluate the scientific report used to develop the Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (NGF) was published summarizing the scientific bases for its formulation. It highlights the findings of controlled and epidemiological studies and review in scientific journals. The results of the nutrition surveys which depict the food and nutrition situation, data on dietary patterns and practices related to food, food availability and statistics on nutrition-related health problems serve as background for the guidelines. While the 2000 NGF may have created awareness of the link between nutrients and foods to health, the contribution of these guidelines to outcomes and impact on health and nutrition has been limited. The policy makers and stakeholders involved with FBDGs development should recognize that the process does not end when the messages are formulated. A comprehensive plan that includes implementation, assessment, monitoring and reformulation must be developed. Formulation of a strategy on how the guidelines should be implemented to improve the dietary patterns of Filipinos, combined with the development of a protocol for evaluation of implementation and impact of the guidelines will now be adopted for its revision.