Nutrition problems, primarily stunting and obesity, are the responsibility of all parties across different programs and sectors.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has said that chronic lack of nutrition in infants, which results in shortened height or stunting and obesity are both extreme problems whose handling will require all-party cooperation.

"Nutrition problems, primarily stunting and obesity, are the responsibility of all parties across different programs and sectors," he remarked at the commemoration of the 62nd National Nutrition Day on Friday.

According to Baswedan, his administration is supporting guidance, monitoring, evaluation, and follow-through for all policies and programs that could intervene in these two problems.

It is also participating in coordinating the involvement of non-government institutions to support the acceleration of stunting and obesity prevention, he said.

Meanwhile, general chairman of the central leadership council (DPP) of the Indonesian Nutritionists Association (Persagi), Rudatin, said that nutritionists are available across all Public Health Centers (Puskesmas) in Jakarta to assist the people.

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Jakarta has recorded the highest obesity level amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she noted. However, she did not provide the number of obesity cases recorded in Jakarta.

She deemed that phenomena such as stunting, wasting, thinness, and obesity are driven by a lack of knowledge.

The Health Ministry, in its Stunting Situation in Indonesia bulletin, has recorded the prevalence of stunting in Indonesian infants, based on the 2019 Infant Nutrition Status in Indonesia Study (SSGBI), at 27.67 percent.

Of this percentage, the proportion of stunting in Jakartan infants reached 19.96 percent in 2019.

This figure is far above Bali that has the lowest figure of 14.42 percent and Riau Islands (16.82 percent).

Meanwhile, the incidence of obesity in Jakartan infants, according to the 2013 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) result, has been pegged at 11.7 percent.

In addition, Lampung has recorded the highest figure for obesity at 21.4 percent and West Nusa Tenggara the lowest at 8.5 percent.

Related news: childhood obesity reaches alarming proportions in Indonesia



Translator: Dewa Wiguna, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Suharto
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