Expert: Animal Protein Intake In Children Age 7-35 Months Is Very Low

Portrait of a Public Health Nutritionist from the Faculty of Public Health (FKM) Universitas Indonesia (UI) Prof. Dr. Drg. Sandra Fikawati, MPH (Via ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Public Health Nutritionist from the Faculty of Public Health (FKM) Universitas Indonesia (UI) Prof. Dr. drg. Sandra Fikawati, MPH explained that the intake of animal protein in children aged seven to 35 months in Indonesia is still very low.

"There are no other nutrients that can replace the role of protein in helping the growth and regeneration of human cells. Unfortunately, not many people understand that choosing the type of protein in daily consumption is very important," said Sandra in a press conference attended in Jakarta, Antara. , Tuesday, June 14.

Sandra said, based on 2014 Individual Food Consumption Survey data, the amount of animal protein in the form of milk and processed foods consumed by children aged seven to 11 months only touched 1.9 percent. Meanwhile, for foods such as eggs and their processed products, it only touched 0.1 percent.

The data also states that children of this age get more nutrition from other sources. Such as cereals 95.8 percent, tubers 0.6 percent, nuts 0.9 percent and fruit and processed 0.6 percent.

In children aged one to three years, the amount of animal protein intake received through meat and processed only touched 0.1 percent. Then the nutrients that come from milk and processed touched the figure of 0.9 percent.

Unfortunately, the nutritional intake received through cereals at this age is worse, reaching 98.5 percent. Followed by 0.5 percent of tubers and 0.1 percent of nuts.

“This condition has existed since 2014. We already know that, but there is no program to provide animal protein food to children. We should be knocked, look at this situation, at the age of one to three years it is even worse, "said Sandra.

Meanwhile, at the age of zero to six months, data shows that 70 percent of the protein intake received by babies comes from exclusive breastfeeding given by mothers while breastfeeding.

Sandra said this should really be criticized, because animal protein is very important in children's daily activities. Animal protein is included in the micronutrients that can optimize the growth of children, the formation of a strong immune system and healing and muscle mass.

Thus, Sandra asked the community from the start to be more concerned and know that protein intake is a very important intake to prevent children from getting stunted.

People need to understand that protein sources are divided into two, namely animal protein that comes from animals and has better protein because it has more complete essential amino acids (AAE) such as meat, milk, eggs and fish, as well as vegetable protein from plants such as tempeh. and know.

“Sometimes people like to say that we only want to eat tofu and tempeh, not eat animal protein, it can't be like that. The quality is different, if we look at the protein, there are two types, namely animal protein that comes from animals and has better protein quality and plant protein," he said.