BELLY GUD FOR HEALTH

OVERNUTRITION such as overweight and obesity is a serious health concern especially in the light of its strong association with the development of non-communicable diseases which are among the leading causes of mortality, morbidity and disability in the country today. These NCDs include cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, renal diseases, and degenerative arthritis, gout and gallbladder diseases. With the various medical consequences associated with overnutrition, this weight problem contributes to decreased productivity and economic growth retardation.

In the Department of Health Office, from a total of 779 personnel taken waist circumference in 2012 prior to the conduct of Belly Gud for Health, 362 or 46.5% have waist circumference above desirable levels. Waist circumference (WC) is a simple and easy measure of central obesity among adults and a significant indicator of risk for non-communicable diseases particularly heart disease and stroke.

In the effort to promote and protect the health of the DOH personnel, the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Degenerative Disease Office in partnership with the National Center for Health promotion will repeat the conduct of Belly Gud for Health (BG for Health) 2012 as an advocacy strategy for healthy lifestyle this 2013. This time , it will challenge the executives namely Secretary, Undersecretaries, Assistant Secretaries and Directors and employees of the Department of Health Central Office with high waist circumference (HCW), to be fit by attaining and maintaining a desirable waist circumference (DWC) of <80 cms for females and <90cms for males. # Source – www.doh.gov.ph