The 6 most common nutritional problems in Indonesia, from toddlers to adults

Nutritional problems are very complex and it is important to be overcome immediately. Especially because Indonesia is one of the countries with the most complete nutritional problems. Several studies stated that the problem of nutrition in Indonesia tends to continue to increase, which is not comparable to several other ASEAN countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Reporting from the website of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, the development of nutritional problems in Indonesia can be grouped into three, namely nutrition problems that are under control, problems that have not been resolved (un-finished), and nutritional problems that have increased and are threatening public health (emerging).

Nutritional problems in Indonesia are under control

1. Lack of vitamin A (VAD)

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a nutritional problem in Indonesia that is commonly experienced by children and pregnant women. Although this is a nutritional problem that can be controlled, vitamin A deficiency can be fatal if not treated immediately.

In children, a deficiency of vitamin A can lead to visual impairment to blindness and increase the progression of diarrhea and measles. Meanwhile, pregnant women who are deficient in vitamin A are at high risk of experiencing blindness or even death during childbirth.

Don't worry, vitamin A deficiency can be prevented by giving vitamin A capsules. Vitamin A capsules are given twice a year in February and August, since the child is six months old. Red capsules (dose 100,000 IU) are given for infants aged 6-11 months and blue capsules (dose 200,000 IU) for children aged 12-59 months.

2. IDD

Your body needs a certain amount of iodine to make a chemical known as thyroid hormone. This thyroid hormone controls metabolism and other important body functions. Iodine deficiency or GAKI (Disorders Due to Iodine Deficiency) is not the only cause of low thyroid levels. However, an iodine deficiency can cause an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland, known as a goiter.

To overcome this problem, the government has required that all salt in circulation must contain at least 30 ppm iodine. How about you, have you used iodized salt?

3. Anemia

Anemia is a condition when the body doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to body tissues. This health problem is most commonly found in pregnant women with symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, pallor, irregular heartbeats, and headaches.

Based on data taken from the 2013 Basic Health Research, more than 15 percent of toddlers and 37 percent of pregnant women experience anemia. Studies show that pregnant women who are anemic have a 3.6 times greater risk of dying in childbirth due to bleeding and / or sepsis.

To prevent anemia, pregnant women are advised to take at least 90 iron pills during their pregnancy. Iron in question is all iron consumption during pregnancy, including over-the-counter and multivitamins that contain iron.

Unresolved nutritional problems in Indonesia

1. Inadequate nutrition

A thin body due to malnutrition is often considered better than a fat body due to over nutrition, when in fact it is not. Just like obesity, children and adolescents with malnutrition have a risk to their health. Well, you can measure the category of your nutritional status through this BMI calculator.

Babies born with low birth weight (LBW) will generally experience a bad future life. The reason is, the nutritional needs that are not fulfilled during the growth period of children under five will increase their susceptibility to infectious diseases in early life and last until they are adults. Some of the risks of malnutrition include the following:

Malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, or anemia
Osteoporosis
Decreased immune function
Fertility problems caused by irregular menstrual cycles
Growth and development problems, especially in children and adolescents

2. Stunting

Stunting is a chronic malnutrition condition caused by insufficient nutritional intake for a long time, generally due to feeding that is not in accordance with nutritional needs. Stunting occurs starting in the womb and only appears when the child is two years old. Symptoms stunting among them:

The child's posture is shorter than his age
Body proportions tend to be normal, but the child looks younger or smaller for his age
Low weight for her age
Delayed bone growth

In 2013, as many as 37.2 percent of children under five in Indonesia experienced stunting. This condition is often considered normal for reasons of heredity. Even though, stunting can affect brain development, reduce a person's productivity at a young age, and increase the risk of developing non-communicable diseases later in life. Stunting is also considered a risk factor for diabetes, hypertension, obesity and death from infection.

The best time to prevent stunting is from the beginning of pregnancy to the first two years of a child's life. Therefore, the nutritional needs of pregnant women must be met to optimize fetal development. In addition, exclusive breastfeeding and balanced nutrition for toddlers need special attention so that the child does not grow short or stunting.

What nutritional problems most threaten public health?

Based on the global nutrition report or Global Nutrition Report in 2014, Indonesia is included in 17 countries that have 3 nutritional problems at once, namely stunting (short), wasting (thin), and overweight or over nutrition (obesity).

Over nutrition, commonly known as obesity, is a nutritional problem that threatens public health. Over nutrition or obesity is a condition of abnormal or serious excess fat in the adipose tissue that can interfere with health. Come on, check your nutritional status category through this BMI calculator to find out if you are overweight or not.

The most basic cause of excess nutrition is an imbalance of energy and calories consumed with the amount expended. In both children, adolescents and adults, the prevalence of overnutrition continues to increase by almost one percent every year. If children have been obese since childhood, they will be more susceptible to contracting non-communicable diseases as adults, such as diabetes and heart disease.

To maintain a balanced and ideal body weight, you need to change your healthy lifestyle by limiting the consumption of foods high in fat and sugar, increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables, and doing regular physical activity.