Children's growth stunted

Children's growth stunted

BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: Poor nutrition has stunted the
growth of as many as 36 percent of all first-grade primary school
children here, Antara reported on Monday.

Arvin Dyanto, the head of the nutrition department of the
local office of the Ministry of Health, said low consumption of
protein and other nutrients caused many children in the province
to be below the normal height for their age.

"The situation here is worse than the national average," Arvin
said. "This certainly affects the whole human resource
development," he added.

The average height of six-year-old Indonesian children is 110
centimeters.

About 30.7 percent of all Indonesian school-age boys and 29.6
percent of all girls have growth problems, Arvin said. "This
situation should be dealt with soon, and that's why the ministry
should promote public education -- especially for mothers -- on
nutrition," he added. (swe)