The 10 Kumainments

By DOH

The Department of Health (DOH) has always told Filipinos to remain healthy and they have had
campaigns promoting healthy living. Just recently, the agency announced a new campaign that
hits at one of the more important cultural aspects of being Filipino: religion. Thus, they
embarked on the 10 Kumainments, a play on the 10 Commandments.
Actively promoted by the DOHs National Nutrition Council, the 10 Kumainments are
essentially guidelines for people about healthy eating. They are based on the Nutritional
Guidelines for Filipinos (NGF) that aim to address and prevent malnutrition and diet-related noncommunicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
The NGF is actually a collaboration between the DOH-NNC and several other agencies,
including the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and
Technology (FNRIDOST). The NGF also underwent multi-sectoral consultations. NNC was
tasked to disseminate the NGF to ensure its adoption among Filipinos to contribute to improved
nutrition.
The 10 Kumainments are as follows:
1.
2.

1.Kumain ng ibat-ibang pagkain (Eat

different types of food).

2.Sa unang anim na buwan ni baby, breastfeeding lamang; mula anim na buwan, bigyan din sya ng ibang angkop na
pagkain (Breastfeed a baby for the first six months, followed by different types of food for the

next six months).

3. 3.Kumain ng prutas at gulay araw-araw (Eat fruits and vegetables every day).
4. 4.Kumain ng isda, karne, at ibang pagkaing may protina (Eat fish, meat, and other food rich in protein).
5. 5.Uminom ng gatas; kumain ng pagkaing mayaman sa calcium (Drink milk and other food rich in calcium).
6. 6.Tiyaking malinis at ligtas ang gating pagkain at tubig (Always keep your food and water clean).
7. 7.Gumamit ng iodized salt (Take iodized salt).
8. 8.Hinay-hinay sa maaalat, mamantika, at matamis (Avoid eating too much salty, oily, and sweet foods).
9. 9.Panatilihin ang tamang timbang (Keep a healthy weight).
10. 10.Maging aktibo. Iwasan ang alak; huwag manigarilyo (Be active. Avoid alcohol and cigarettes).
The DOH has even created a new character named Moises Dalisay, or Mang Moi
who will serve as a teacher to all who would want to know more about eating healthy.
Indeed, lifestyle-related diseases have been on the rise in the Philippines. In the 8th National
Nutrition Survey, among the most prevalent lifestyle disease in the Philippines is hypertension,
followed by diabetes. The report stressed that hypertension is prevalent among men than women,
that urban poor are more susceptible to diabetes, and that hypertension and diabetes increase
with age and wealth.