Prevent Stunting with Animal Protein !

Stunting is a disorder of growth and development of children due to chronic malnutrition and repeated infections, which are characterized by their length or height being below standard. Animal protein is important for preventing stunting because it contains complete and high quality essential amino acids.

The main causes of stunting include nutritional and nutritional intake that is not sufficient for children's needs, wrong parenting due to lack of knowledge and education for pregnant women and nursing mothers, poor sanitation in the living environment such as lack of clean water facilities and unavailability of adequate toilet facilities and limitations access to health facilities needed for pregnant women, nursing mothers and toddlers.

The impact of stunting on children will be seen in the short and long term. In the short term, it has an impact on physical growth, namely the child's height is below the average for his age. In addition, it also has an impact on cognitive development due to disruption of brain development so that it can reduce children's intelligence. Meanwhile, in the long term, stunting will make children vulnerable to contracting diseases such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, blood vessels, cancer, stroke, and disability in old age. In addition, the long-term impact on children suffering from stunting is related to the quality of a country's human resources. Children are the next generation of the nation. If stunting is not addressed immediately, this will certainly lead to a decrease in the quality of human resources in the future.

Things you can do to prevent stunting:

• Routine control of pregnancy for pregnant women
• Give exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months.
• Give various complementary foods in a timely, safe and hygienic manner and in the right way.
• Complementary food must contain a carbohydrate source of 35-55% of the total calorie requirement, protein by prioritizing animal protein 10-15%, a source of fat 30-45% and a small amount of vegetables/fruits as an introduction.
• Routinely weigh yourself and measure the correct length/height and head circumference every month.
• Age-appropriate physical activity
• Sleep duration according to age
• If weight gain is inadequate, consult a doctor immediately

Stunting can increase the risk of :

1. obesity

2. heart disease

3. diabetes

4. strokes

What is the process if you find a case of nutritional problems in order to prevent stunting?

1. Nutrition surveillance and case finding and handling (Posyandu à Puskesmas).

2. Secondary or tertiary services, have Sp.A or Sp.AK (nutrition, development). Has facilities and infrastructure: a special clinic for growth and development.