Indonesia's Child Stunting Rate Remains Above 24% in 2021

Nutritional problems in children under five years old (toddlers) remain a significant health issue in Indonesia, with stunting being one of the major concerns.

Stunting is a condition where a child's height is below the standard for their age. It's an indicator of growth failure in toddlers resulting from chronic malnutrition during the first 1,000 days of life, from fetal development to 23 months of age.

According to the Indonesian Ministry of Health's National Nutrition Status Survey (SSGI), the prevalence of stunting in toddlers was 24.4% in 2021. This means that almost a quarter of Indonesian toddlers experienced stunting last year. However, this figure is lower than the estimated 26.9% in 2020.

The government aims to reduce stunting in Indonesia to 14% by 2024. To achieve this target, innovative efforts are needed to reduce the number of stunted toddlers by 2.7% annually. The following categories classify stunting levels:

* Low <20%
* Medium 20-29.9%
* High 30-39.9%
* Very High ?40%

It's important to note that 27 provinces are experiencing acute and chronic malnutrition problems in toddlers. Therefore, enhanced monitoring of toddler growth is necessary at Integrated Service Posts (Posyandu) and other health facilities.

President Joko Widodo, in his address at the 2022 National Family Day event held in Medan, North Sumatra, stated that the percentage of stunting in Indonesia decreased from 37% in 2013 to 24.4% in 2021. However, the target for 2024 remains at 14%.