Nutritionist: Free Nutritious Meal Programme Effective in Preventing Non-Communicable Diseases
Nutritionist Dr Doddy Izwardy has stated that the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme plays a broader strategic role beyond fulfilling daily nutritional needs. The programme is considered a crucial instrument in preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) from school age.
The statement was made by Doddy while appearing as a government expert in a judicial review hearing of Law Number 17 of 2025 at the Constitutional Court in Jakarta on Wednesday (1/7). The hearing examined provisions for placing the MBG programme budget within the education budget of the 2026 State Budget.
Doddy revealed that Indonesia is still facing a major challenge in the form of a double burden of malnutrition among school-age children. This condition includes the prevalence of stunting as well as problems of being overweight or obese.
"The policy implication in this case is that schoolchildren interventions are positioned as a nutrition and NCD prevention agenda. This is the emphasis we are conveying," said the Chairman of the Indonesian Nutritionists Association (Persagi).
Based on data from the Indonesian Health Survey and Basic Health Research (Riskesdas), the prevalence of stunting in the 5–12 age group reaches 23.6 percent. On the other hand, the rate of overweight and obesity in the same age group is around 20 percent.
Doddy warned that both extreme conditions carry a high risk of triggering non-communicable diseases in the future. Moreover, school-age children are in a phase of intensive physical, psychological, and neurological development.
"Malnutrition can hinder the development of brain structure and function, affecting children’s learning ability, concentration, memory, and academic achievement," he explained.
In his presentation, Doddy also highlighted the gap in nutritional status between urban and rural areas. The prevalence of stunting is higher in rural areas, while cases of overweight or obesity are more dominant in urban areas.
This condition is exacerbated by low physical activity among schoolchildren, suboptimal clean living behaviours, and high exposure to unhealthy foods high in sugar, salt, and fat.
However, he noted a positive trend from the implementation of the MBG programme. Over 16 months, the programme has shown an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption among students, which in turn encourages the formation of healthier eating patterns.
Concluding his testimony, Doddy stressed that the MBG programme should not be viewed narrowly as merely food aid or an ordinary lunch. He emphasised that the programme is a long-term investment in human capital development.
"School nutrition programmes should not be positioned merely as food or meal assistance, but as a cross-sectoral investment in human capital," he asserted.
This step is aligned with efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the aspects of eradicating hunger, improving health, enhancing the quality of education, and fostering future national economic growth.