Indonesia
A-Z Malnutrition (Stunting and Obesity)
Adequate nutrition is very important to maintain a healthy body, especially for children who are still in their infancy. Malnutrition is a condition that refers to an imbalance in a person's nutritional intake, either undernutrition or excess. The term malnutrition includes two conditions, namely undernutrition and overnutrition/obesity. Indonesia is currently still faced with various nutritional problems, one of which is stunting (short) and over nutrition or obesity. There are several efforts that a mother can do both before and after the baby is born in preventing stunting and obesity.
What is Stunting & Obesity?
Stunting is a chronic malnutrition problem caused by a lack of nutritional intake for a long time, resulting in growth disorders in children, namely the child's height is lower or shorter (short) than the standard age. Children who experience stunting are not only disturbed by their physical growth (short/short stature), but also their brain development, which of course will greatly affect their ability and achievement at school, productivity and creativity in productive ages. While obesity is the accumulation of excess fat due to an imbalance of incoming energy intake with energy used.
To prevent stunting from the start is a factor when the child is still in the womb. During pregnancy, if the mother does not have access to healthy and nutritious food, it will cause the fetus she is carrying to be malnourished. In addition, the low intake of vitamins and minerals consumed by the mother can also affect the condition of fetal malnutrition. Malnutrition since in the womb can also be the biggest cause of stunting in children. Do not let the weight gain of pregnant women is not sufficient. So the weight gain of pregnant women is a major factor. To put it simply, for the layman, increasing gestational age must be accompanied by weight gain. When a baby is born, when he gets older, he must gain weight. If he experiences a stagnant weight that does not increase, then the increase in length or height of the baby will experience problems. So before experiencing a disturbance, prevent these disorders by consuming a balanced diet and carrying out regular content control.
Obesity is a health problem due to excess fat that accumulates in the body. If left unchecked, obesity can cause various health problems, including life-threatening diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease. Obesity is often considered a condition of being overweight or overweight because both refer to a body weight that does not match height.
How to Prevent Stunting & Obesity?
How to Prevent Stunting
Stunting is also one of the causes of stunted children's height, so that they are lower than children their age, a condition that needs to be treated as early as possible. Therefore, it is important to prevent stunting. Here are some tips:
1. Nutritional needs are met during pregnancy
In the mass of pregnancy, the right action is to make sure the baby gets adequate nutrition. Pregnant women are advised to eat nutritious food according to the doctor's recommendations and routinely check with the doctor/midwife.
2. Babies receive exclusive breastfeeding from birth to 6 months
Breastfeeding from birth to 6 months of age can prevent the risk of children getting stunted.
3. Give exclusive breastfeeding with healthy complementary foods
When the child is over 6 months old, complementary foods or complementary foods can be given, but make sure to continue to breastfeed your baby. WHO recommends adding certain nutrients to the diet. To feel confident and safe, consult a doctor or midwife.
4. Monitor child development
Parents should regularly monitor the child's development, especially the child's height and weight. This is because one of the characteristics of stunting is the growth of children's height is less than children their age. Make sure you regularly consult with your doctor to find out the early symptoms and treatment.
5. Prevent children from getting sick/recurrent infections.
Recurrent infections in children are caused by the body's immune system not working optimally. When a child's immune system does not function properly, the risk of developing various types of health problems, including stunting, becomes higher.
6. Clean environmental conditions
A dirty environment can increase the chance of stunting in children. This is because children are susceptible to disease, so maintaining the cleanliness of the child's environment such as the house and room is very important to note.
How to Prevent Obesity
Obesity or overweight is not only caused by overeating and sleeping, but also a healthy lifestyle and lack of physical activity. Some things you can do to prevent obesity:
- Regulate a healthy and nutritious diet
- Increase consumption of vegetables and fruit
- Reducing excessive consumption of sugar, salt, and fat
- Regular exercise or physical activity
- Monitor body weight to stay ideal
- Adjust sleep patterns according to the child's age
- Consult a doctor to find out the child's growth and development
Hermina's friends can do a health consultation at Hermina Pandanaran Hospital. Get easy doctor registration through the "Halo Hermina" mobile application, Call Center 1500 488 and the website www.herminahospitals.com