DOST-FNRI: 1 in 5 pregnant women in PH nutritionally at risk

About one in every five pregnant Filipino women was found to be nutritionally at risk in 2025, a condition that could increase the likelihood of pregnancy complications, according to a survey by the Department of Science and Technology–Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI).

The figure translates to 16.7 percent, lower than the 18.5 percent recorded in 2023, based on the 2025 Updating of the Nutritional Status of Filipino Children and Other Population Groups, also known as the 2025 Updating Survey.

Conducted from April 23, 2025 to March 21, 2026, the Updating Survey gathered data through face-to-face interviews with an average of 384 sample households in each of 118 survey areas nationwide.

Presented during the 2026 National Nutrition Summit in Pasay City on Wednesday, the survey provides a snapshot of the country's nutrition situation and helps officials track progress, identify emerging concerns, and determine whether nutrition and health goals are being met.

The survey showed that pregnant adolescents below 20 years old had a significantly higher prevalence of nutritional risk at 40 percent.

Meanwhile, pregnant women aged 20 and above posted a lower prevalence rate of 15.9 percent.

Compared with 2023, DOST-FNRI noted improvements in prenatal care practices.

Nearly seven in every 10 pregnant women had their first prenatal visit on time in 2025. This translates to 73.3 percent, up from 68 percent in 2023.

More than four in every five pregnant women in their third trimester had at least four prenatal visits. The proportion increased from 75.1 percent in 2023 to 84.8 percent in 2025.

However, DOST-FNRI noted a gap in achieving the recommended number of prenatal contacts.

The survey found that only one in five (22.9 percent) pregnant women in their third trimester had at least eight prenatal contacts, nearly unchanged from 22.7 percent in 2023.

Nutrition among infants

The survey also revealed that continued breastfeeding among two-year-old children increased from 40.9 percent in 2023 to 48.5 percent in 2025.

Meanwhile, 54.8 percent of infants below six months of age were exclusively breastfed.

DOST-FNRI said breastfeeding remains one of the most important practices for supporting the health, growth and development of infants and young children.

However, the survey showed that one in every five infants (19.8 percent) received pre-lacteal feeds, a practice that involves giving food or liquids other than breast milk before breastfeeding is established.

This practice may affect the early and proper establishment of breastfeeding, DOST-FNRI said.

Meanwhile, 56.5 percent of infants and young children aged 6 to 23 months were fed a combination of breast milk, breast milk substitutes or formula milk, and complementary food.

DOST-FNRI explained that complementary feeding begins at six months of age, when breast milk alone no longer meets a child's nutritional requirements.

The survey showed that 90.6 percent of infants aged 6 to 8 months received complementary food at the appropriate time.

Only one in five (23.0 percent) infants and young children met the minimum dietary diversity requirement, while 95.0 percent met the minimum meal frequency standard and 22.4 percent met the minimum acceptable diet.

Meanwhile, among infants and young children aged 0 to 23 months, 12.7 percent were underweight, 21.1 percent were stunted, 6.3 percent were wasted, and 3.2 percent were overweight for their height.—MCG, GMA News