Indonesians 'prioritize smoking over families' nutritional needs'
Indonesians 'prioritize smoking over families' nutritional needs'
JAKARTA (JP): An expert says 45 percent of Indonesian
household heads prioritize cigarettes over their families'
nutritional needs, Antara reported on Thursday.
Speaking at a seminar on nutrition in the Central Java capital
of Semarang, Martien Bloem, the Asia Pacific Regional Director of
Helen Keller International, described his agency's findings on
people's poor awareness about children's nutritional needs.
"Based on our research, I conclude that 45 percent of people
in Indonesia are prioritizing cigarettes over nutrition," Bloem
said.
Furthermore, Bloem said, girls were often discriminated
against as many families preferred to give their sons better
food.
"I have found out sons are still treated better than daughters
(in term of food allotment)," Bloem said.
Hellen Keller International is a New York-based agency that
provides aid for blindness prevention and rehabilitation of the
blind.
A previous survey conducted by the organization revealed the
number of malnourished children in Java was higher than other
islands. Last year Central Java was recorded as having 4.16
million poor people or 13.91 percent of its population, the
highest in the nation.
Since the economic crisis hit the country in July last year,
the number of poor people has soared to 100 million across the
country.
Earlier this month, Minister of Health Farid Anfasa Moeloek
said malnutrition problems among the country's children was due
to a lack of knowledge on health issues.
"This is not just an economic matter but also a problem of
ignorance, education and social cultural dilemmas," Farid said.
The United Nations Children's fund (Unicef) has estimated
about half the children under three in Indonesia are malnourished
and a rising proportion are getting really malnourished.
Also in the seminar on Thursday, M.A. Husaini, a researcher at
the Nutrition Research Center in Bogor, West Java, said those
most affected by the economic crisis were pregnant mothers and
babies.
"Poor nutrition among pregnant mothers will affect (infants')
brain development until the age of 18 months," he said.
Newborn babies getting sufficient food will develop one
milligram of their brain per minute while malnutrition could
damage children's ability to learn.
Husaini explained the effects of malnutrition could be seen
from babies' birth weight. A birth weight of under 2.5 kg
indicates malnutrition. (01)
JAKARTA (JP): An expert says 45 percent of Indonesian
household heads prioritize cigarettes over their families'
nutritional needs, Antara reported on Thursday.
Speaking at a seminar on nutrition in the Central Java capital
of Semarang, Martien Bloem, the Asia Pacific Regional Director of
Helen Keller International, described his agency's findings on
people's poor awareness about children's nutritional needs.
"Based on our research, I conclude that 45 percent of people
in Indonesia are prioritizing cigarettes over nutrition," Bloem
said.
Furthermore, Bloem said, girls were often discriminated
against as many families preferred to give their sons better
food.
"I have found out sons are still treated better than daughters
(in term of food allotment)," Bloem said.
Hellen Keller International is a New York-based agency that
provides aid for blindness prevention and rehabilitation of the
blind.
A previous survey conducted by the organization revealed the
number of malnourished children in Java was higher than other
islands. Last year Central Java was recorded as having 4.16
million poor people or 13.91 percent of its population, the
highest in the nation.
Since the economic crisis hit the country in July last year,
the number of poor people has soared to 100 million across the
country.
Earlier this month, Minister of Health Farid Anfasa Moeloek
said malnutrition problems among the country's children was due
to a lack of knowledge on health issues.
"This is not just an economic matter but also a problem of
ignorance, education and social cultural dilemmas," Farid said.
The United Nations Children's fund (Unicef) has estimated
about half the children under three in Indonesia are malnourished
and a rising proportion are getting really malnourished.
Also in the seminar on Thursday, M.A. Husaini, a researcher at
the Nutrition Research Center in Bogor, West Java, said those
most affected by the economic crisis were pregnant mothers and
babies.
"Poor nutrition among pregnant mothers will affect (infants')
brain development until the age of 18 months," he said.
Newborn babies getting sufficient food will develop one
milligram of their brain per minute while malnutrition could
damage children's ability to learn.
Husaini explained the effects of malnutrition could be seen
from babies' birth weight. A birth weight of under 2.5 kg
indicates malnutrition. (01)