Estimated Usual Nutrient Intakes and Nutrient Inadequacy Among Schoolchildren in Rural Communities in the Philippines

Background Post-COVID data on nutritional status or dietary intake of school-aged Filipino children are limited but needed to inform interventions. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study among a non-representative sample of 342 school-aged Filipino children aged 5 to 10 years in high-risk rural communities in the Philippines in 2022. Dietary data were collected using a single 24-hour dietary recall ( n = 342). Estimated usual intakes and the prevalence of inadequacy were calculated using the National Cancer Institute 1-day method with external variance ratios (between-person and within-person) from the 2018 Filipino National Nutrition Survey. Foods were grouped using the Food and Agriculture Organization regional food composition tables for analysis. Results The median energy intakes were 1516 (boys) and 1304 (girls) kcal/day for children < 6 years, and 1420 (boys) and 1404 (girls) kcal/day for ages 6 to 10 years, resulting in 38% to 48% of children having energy intakes below estimated energy requirements across age and sex groups. Prevalence of inadequacy ranged from 65.8% to 78.1%, 35.2% to 43.5%, 32.6% to 58.6%, and 33.1% to 76.6% for calcium, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C, respectively, across groups. Commonly consumed foods included rice, bread, cookies/cake (fillings), coconut oil, powdered milk, moringa, bananas, and coffee. Intakes of meats, fruits, and vegetables were low. Conclusion The prevalence of micronutrient inadequacies was concerningly high among children in this post-COVID population. Diets were mostly refined rice with minimal fruit and vegetable consumption. While powdered milk and chicken egg were consumed, the intakes were insufficient to meet nutrient requirements. This dietary pattern suggests incorporating nutrient-rich, locally available food for future intervention.