Beyond Stunting, These Are the Series of Nutritional Problems Often Experienced by Toddlers in Indonesia

The Indonesian Ministry of Health's National Nutrition Status Survey (SSGI) reveals four key malnutrition problems among Indonesian toddlers: stunting, wasting, underweight, and overweight.

Stunting, or short stature, is a significant concern for the government and the public due to its relatively high prevalence, reaching 21.6% in 2022. This exceeds the World Health Organization (WHO) threshold of 20%, indicating a chronic stunting problem in Indonesia.

However, the 2022 prevalence represents a 2.8-point decrease from 24.4% in 2021. Compared to 2019 (27.7%), the prevalence of stunting among Indonesian toddlers has decreased by 6.1 points.

Another nutritional problem is wasting, or thinness. According to the 2022 SSGI, the prevalence of wasting among Indonesian toddlers increased by 0.6 points from 7.1% to 7.7% last year.

The prevalence of underweight toddlers was 17.1% in 2022, a 0.1-point increase from the previous year. Conversely, the prevalence of overweight toddlers was 3.5% in 2022, a decrease of 0.3 points from the previous year.

Director General of Public Health, Maria Endang Sumiwi, stated that growth disorders in children begin with weight faltering, or weight gain not meeting standards.

“Children experiencing weight faltering, if left untreated, can become underweight and progress to wasting. If these three conditions persist, they can lead to stunting,” said Endang, as quoted from the SehatNegeriku website on Friday, January 27, 2023.

To address this, the government provides supplementary food. Endang mentioned a shift from biscuit-based supplements to locally sourced foods.

Besides providing locally sourced supplementary food, Endang emphasized the importance of educating mothers on proper child feeding practices. This aims to achieve the government's target of reducing stunting rates to 14% by 2024.

Endang cited several factors contributing to the decrease in stunting, including early initiation of breastfeeding (IMD), exclusive breastfeeding, provision of animal protein, and nutritional counseling. “Preventing stunting is far more effective than treating it,” Endang stated.