UNAIR NEWS – National Nutrition Day (HGN) is commemorated every January 25th. In 2019, 59th commemoration of HGN was themed “Improving Nutrition Together Towards Healthy and Outstanding Nation.”
For the special day, a Nutritional Science lecturer of Universitas Airlangga Trias Mahmudiono, S.KM, MPH., said that the word “Together” in the theme must be prioritized because nutritional problems cannot be solved only by people who focus on nutrition, but also from other elements of community.
Referring to World Health Organization (WHO) program to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there are two major programs, Nutrition Specific Intervention which can only be carried out by people who are experts in nutrition and Nutrition Sensitive Intervention which is an intervention that is not directly related to nutrition but it will increase the effectiveness of nutrition programs. Nutrition Sensitive Intervention is a way to improve nutrition that can be implemented by the entire community.
“The portion from Nutrition Sensitive Intervention is greater than Nutrition Specific Intervention, which is around 70%,” he added.
Trias further explained that Nutrition Sensitive Intention is a shared responsibility. Other elements’ supports for example, continued Trias, the availability of clean water, good infrastructure, quality education, and improved empowerment.
Poverty, according to him, is a part that causes food insecurity which can have an impact on poor nutrition and leads to malnutrition and stunting. That, because one of the factors is that poverty will cause housewives to work outside and not pay attention to their child’s nutritional intake. During these conditions, increasing empowerment is needed for example providing entrepreneurship training to housewives.
“That way housewives can get income at home while taking care of children and pay attention to children’s nutrition,” he added.
Trias also said, in defining HGN, all elements of society must work together according to their fields to improve the nutrition. The involvement of the community, although not a nutritionist, has a great impact to achieve good nutrition.
“So we have to work together to achieve good nutrition so that our society can be healthy and productive,” Trias continued.
At the moment, Indonesia has a demographic bonus. To work well, you need good nutrition. Good nutrition will increase productivity and reduce the risk of occupational accidents. For children as well, with good nutrition, children will concentrate better and follow the lesson well.
“I urge our community to adopt a diet with balanced nutrition such as protein, vegetables, fruit, drink enough with physical activities at least 50 minutes per day,” he concluded.
Author: M. Najib Rahman
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
