Malnutrition rate soars since economic crisis<\/p>\n
Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Ubud, Bali<\/p>\n
The malnutrition rate in the country has reached alarming levels
\nsince the economic crisis, sending a signal to the government to
\npay more attention to the issue. The infant mortality rate is
\ncurrently two infants per minute in the country.<\/p>\n
Head of the Department of Health Clinical Nutrition? Unit
\nYustina Indriastuti revealed on Monday that in 1989 there were
\n1,342,769 reported cases of malnutrition in a total population of
\n177,614,965 people. The number was slightly higher in 2000,
\nreaching 1,348,181 cases of a total population of 203,456,005
\npeople.<\/p>\n
However, the number of toddlers suffering from malnutrition
\nskyrocketed in 2002 to 5,145,533 toddlers, or 27.3 percent of the
\ncountry's toddlers at that time, according to the Information
\nNetwork on Food and Nutrition (JPIG), an internal bulletin of the
\nDepartment of Health.<\/p>\n
The much higher rate of malnutrition was attributed to the
\nincreased poverty rate in Indonesia following the economic crisis
\nthat struck the country in 1997.<\/p>\n
A senior lecturer at the University of Indonesia's Nutrition
\nDepartment Lanny Lestiani confirmed that poverty was one of the
\nprimary causes of malnutrition in the country.<\/p>\n
\"The eradication of poverty is a vital step in the process of
\nimproving the nutrition of the country's toddlers,\" she said.<\/p>\n
JIPG data shows that some 38.4 million people in Indonesia are
\ncurrently living below the poverty line and some 50 percent of
\nthem cannot meet the recommended daily intake of nutrition and
\nfood. Indonesia ranks 110 on the Human Development Index, below
\nneighboring Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and even Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Besides poverty, low awareness, especially of city dwellers,
\nis also often identified as a cause of malnutrition.<\/p>\n
\"Busy and hectic lifestyles have apparently made many people
\nforget the importance of a well-balanced, diet,\" Yustina told
\nparticipants of the Bion 3 Destination Immunity event.<\/p>\n
Held in Ubud, the two-day gathering, which was sponsored by PT
\nMerck-Indonesia, the maker of Bion 3, a health supplement product
\ncombining pro-biotic nutrients, vitamins and minerals, involved
\ndozens of journalists and nutrition experts.<\/p>\n
Many at the gathering have called on the government to take
\nthe measures necessary to improve the well-being of society, so
\nthat it can help prevent malnutrition.<\/p>\n
This step is important because malnutrition, along with
\ninfectious diseases, has contributed to the high infant mortality
\nrate in the country.<\/p>\n
Indonesia must allocate at least Rp 4.6 trillion per year to
\noffset the impact of malnutrition by providing treatment and
\nsupplemental food programs focused at toddlers from poor
\nfamilies.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/malnutrition-rate-soars-since-economic-crisis-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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