Food Practices and Respiratory Illnesses: A Basis for Managing the Health Effects of Climate Change [ ]


This study was undertaken to find a significant relationship between food preparation, selection, and composition practices of children (3-6) of Bangued , Abra to their experiences of climate –related illnesses like cough , colds and pneumonia for the year 2015. Results of descriptive-correlational questionnaire design showed these children oftentimes perform the practices in food preparation, selection, and composition (x ¯= 3.11). There’s significant positive correlation of cough experience (r = 0.179) with the practices and tells that even they observe often those practices there still an increased incidence of cough experience. Meanwhile, a significant negative correlation is found linking the frequency of colds experience to the practices (r = -0.199) which means that doing it often can prevent the colds from recurring. Furthermore, the usual month of cough- August (r = -0.291), and of pneumonia- July (r = -0.209), also reveal a significant negative correlation which implies that the lower incidence of the children’s respiratory illnesses that happen during these rainy months are due to their good observation on those practices. The results of this study suggest that food choices and weather conditions in Bangued, Abra, affect the incidence of aforementioned respiratory illnesses of these children.