The Barangay Integrated Development Approach for Nutrition Improvement (BIDANI) of the Rural Poor conceptualized in 1978 with nutrition in the overall community development strategy as its goal. From an action-research project in 1978, the Nutrition in Development Program initially called the Nutrition Improvement Model (NIM)in 1978-1982 grew into a nationwide network program which was renamed Barangay Integrated Development Approach for Nutrition Improvement (BIDANI) of the Rural Poor in 1990 and has been lodged under IHNF since then. It earned its first Outstanding Extension Award given by the UP System on June 18, 1990. At the national level, BIDANI has been recognized by various partner agencies, among others, the National Nutrition Council as a significant step in the promotion of a healthy and productive citizenry which has led to its inclusion as one of the strategies for the Philippine Plan of Action since 1993.
The Food, Nutrition and Dietetics Review Course (FNDRC) aims to assist participants successfully pass the Nutritionist-Dietitians’ Licensure Examination (NDLE). The 12th FNDRC will be the first completely online offering of the program.
The law, Republic Act No. 10028 An Act Expanding the Promotion of Breastfeeding, Amending for the Purpose Republic Act No. 7600, Otherwise Known as “An Act Providing Incentives to All Government and Private Health Institutions with Rooming-in and Breastfeeding Practices and for other Purposes” was signed into law last July 27, 2009. Section 11 of the law calls for the establishment of Lactation Stations such that “all health and non-health facilities, establishments or institutions shall establish lactation stations. The lactation stations shall be adequately provided with the necessary equipment and facilities, such as lavatory for hand-washing, unless there is an easily-accessible lavatory nearby; refrigeration or appropriate cooling facilities for storing expressed breastmilk; electrical outlets for breast pumps; a small table; comfortable seats; and other items, the standards of which shall be defined by the Department of Health.”
In compliance with the law and being a nutrition institution, the Institute of Human Nutrition and Food (IHNF) established a lactation/breastfeeding room last 2012. It is the first unit in the University of the Philippines Los Baños to do so.
The Nutrition Science Division (NSD), through its Nutrition Clinic, together with the Nutrition Policies and Program Division (NPPD) of IHNF, and the GDC, aim to reach out to the rest of the community in the establishment of lactation stations in the university.
The Nutrition Wellness Clinic was launched on September 3, 2011 to provide nutrition needs of the community through nutrition counselling, nutrition and health fairs, fora and seminars and at the same time serve as training ground for nutrition students. At the same time IHNF lends support to the on- going program of the CHE for the elderlies.
The Institute of Human Nutrition and Food, College of Human Ecology, University of the Philippines Los Banos recognizes the significance of integrated and interdisciplinary approaches to promoting optimal nutrition and transforming food systems challenged by increasing population, climate change, ecosystem degradation, and scarcity in land and energy. Through the years, econutrition, a holistic approach to understanding interactions between nutrition and the environment, has been used as one of IHNF’s guiding frameworks in its trilogy of function – Teaching, Research, and Extension. Econutrition encompasses interrelationships among nutrition and human health, agriculture and food production, environmental health, and economic development.