MANILA – Most often, milk is overlooked as a drink that one can outgrow. Although it is a common drink on breakfast tables, its benefits and nutritional importance are sometimes overlooked. Well in fact, the habit of drinking milk should not stop at adolescent stage but should continue all the way to adulthood for it is a good source of everyday nutrition. One glass to start your day can already be beneficial to your body’s health and nutrition.
For this, a worldwide occasion is celebrated every first of June highlighting milk as a global food and its importance to nutrition. In the Philippines, it was celebrated on the last day of May, along with outdoor activities for families. The event was held in four major cities—Manila, Baguio, Cebu, and Davao which successfully gathered more than 7,500 participants beating last year’s tally of 5,200. A simultaneous milk toast was raised at exactly six that last morning of May. Right on cue, the participants, with their family, drank their cups of milk bottoms up as red-and-white confetti covered the blue morning sky.
A series of fun runs of six categories: 10KM, 5KM, 3KM (with individual and family categories), and 1KM and 100M (for children) took place in all four different venues. Meanwhile, Baguio, Cebu, and Davao had a 3KM distance run which simultaneously gun started at 5 AM. Babies on stroller to grandparents participated in the run while some also brought their dogs with them as they too are part of the family. The objective was not to finish first but to finish together.
There was also Zumba for the hip and active participants who sweated for fitness, a breakfast booth, milk mustache booth, play area for the youngsters, freebie booth, and the Milk Wall where participants marked their colorful handprint pledge to start their everyday with a glass of milk.
After the run, the participants availed their loot bags with a limited-edition can of Alaska Milk as a reminder and a head start in beginning every morning with a glass of milk. It is one of the many efforts of Alaska Milk in response to the latest national study conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) that two out of 10 children are overweight while three out of 10 are undernourished. This phenomenon can be alleviated by getting children to continue the habit of drinking milk daily, as well as encouraging them to have a healthy and active lifestyle.
Furthermore, the event was a means of ushering in the coming National Nutrition Month in July to increase awareness in nutrition and its importance in our nation. This year’s theme is Timbang Iwasto Sa Tamang Nutrisyon At Ehersisyo emphasizing the direct relationship of a healthy weight and a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Filipinos today are more aware of the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle, especially families. Weekends are filled with fun physical activities and health-oriented events catered to families aiming to develop in them a good habit of exercise as well as encouraging a more productive bonding time for them. Hence, non-government organizations and some major brands follow this healthy lifestyle “trend” that somewhat has become an advocacy for many and organizing such kind of events that play an important role in the health and nutrition scene in the country.
World Milk Day is in line with the advocacy to reinforce a healthy and active lifestyle among Filipino families, especially in children as it is believed that the combination of proper nutrition and outdoor play is important for them to achieve their fullest potential.
