Desk review of school food environment literature, policy and guidelines in the Philippines

Schools are considered a favourable setting to promote greater consumption of fruits and
vegetables among children and to shape a healthy food environment. This study aimed to
characterise current school food environments in the Philippines, identify research gaps and
develop recommendations to improve fruit and vegetable consumption among children.

Based on results gathered during the Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS), the
prevalence of malnutrition in school children in the Philippines is still considerably high. In
fact, micronutrient deficiencies such as Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) and anaemia persist
in school children and have significantly increased over the years.

In Philippine schools, there are existing policies and interventions on school canteen
management, the school-based feeding program, food safety, and nutrition education and
promotion, developed by the Department of Education (DepEd) to promote the consumption
of fruits and vegetables by school children. Despite this, there is limited information on food
safety aspects such as agro-chemical residues in fruits and vegetables, marketing regulations
and food prices- all of which have an impact on a child’s nutritional status.