Prevent Stunting With Nutritious Supplements

Nutritious Food Illustration (Photo: Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Professor of Food and Nutrition at the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) Prof. Ali Khomsan said stunting prevention must be done as early as possible, one of which is by consuming adequate nutritious supplementary foods.

"Looking at the current consumption pattern in Indonesia, people must increase their consumption of animal protein, nuts, tubers, fruits and vegetables, while what must be reduced is the consumption of rice and flour," said Ali in the webinar on Nutrition Education for Quality Families: Fulfillment Balanced Nutrition Through Breakfast To Support Nutritional Quality.

In a webinar held by the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN), he said that planting various plants such as tubers also has advantages in cultivation, which are easy to plant and adaptive to various environments and to climate change. In addition, he suggested consuming green bean juice which can increase the weight of toddlers, while tempeh increases weight in toddlers aged 12-18 months.

Data for the 2021 Indonesian Toddler Nutrition Status Survey shows that the prevalence of stunting in Indonesia reaches 24.4 percent; down 3.3 percent from 27.7 percent in 2019. This momentum needs to be continued through collaboration between sectors to reduce the risk of stunting in the future.

Quoted from ANTARA, Sabut, June 4, stunting can affect children's growth and development, of which more than 70 percent of the incidence is caused by lifestyle, such as food consumption and physical activity. To overcome the fulfillment of balanced nutrition, the consumption of a variety of food ingredients that are processed into attractive menus can be a solution to meet family nutrition.

Breakfast also contributes 30 percent of nutritional needs. A balanced nutritious breakfast consisting of staple foods, side dishes, as well as vegetables and fruit can increase the intake of balanced nutrition which in the future is able to support the growth and development of children.