LPEM UI Highlights Inflation Level With Stunting Prevalence

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Institute for Economic and Community Research, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia (LPEM FEB UI) said that the high inflation rate and commodity prices made people reduce nutritious food spending, making children vulnerable to stunting.

"From the National Socio-Economic Survey (Susenas) data, it can be seen that the lower the income per capita of the community, the lower the expenditure for nutritious food," said LPEM FEB UI researcher Sulistiadi Dono Iskandar in a statement in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Saturday, June 1.

According to him, due to inflation and price increases, some underprivileged people are forced to reduce food spending to save or choose food alternatives that are less nutritious.

He said that this condition also makes children vulnerable to stunting due to malnutrition or anemia due to lack of iron.

Sulistiadi considered that this showed that there was a close relationship between the family's economic factors and child's nutritional problems. Ideally, a child must get complete nutritious foods such as carbohydrates, animal protein, vegetable protein, vegetables, and fruit.

He also said that in addition to the socio-economic factor of the family, nutritional problems can also be caused because food quality standards and community difficulties are not met to reach nutritious food.

"This is why the lack of food affordability is generally due to the condition of poor nutritional status," he said.

LPEM FEB UI noted that inflation tends to increase during the January-March 2024 period, although it has started to decline in April 2024.

Meanwhile, inflation in the second quarter is predicted to decline and have the potential to have a positive impact on people's purchasing power.

Seeing the condition of the national economy that has not fully recovered, the Marketing Manager of SGM Exploring Anggi Morika Septie stated that his party is also committed to being able to continue to present quality products for Indonesian children at affordable prices.

"With new prices increasingly affordable, we ensure that SGM Explores' nutrition remains maximized. The content or grammar remains the same so that it supports parents to continue to meet their child's nutritional needs optimally as well," he said.