IPB Professor: Nutrient Interaction Approach and Malnutrition Ecology to Address Nutrition Problems in Indonesia
Prof Rimbawan, Professor of Nutrition Biochemistry at IPB University, explained that the possibility of multiple micronutrients deficiency in Indonesia is quite high. Thus, a program that considers the fulfillment of several micronutrients and their interactions in metabolic processes is needed.
“Understanding the relationship between the deficiency of a nutrient and its interaction with other nutrients is very important to determine the right treatment strategy such as providing multi nutrient supplements by considering the interaction between nutrients,” said Prof Rimbawan, IPB University lecturer from the Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Human Ecology.
He said this approach was needed because the nutrition problem in Indonesia was very complex and involved not only undernutrition but also overnutrition and hidden hunger, namely the problem of micronutrient deficiencies such as iron, which still did not show satisfactory results.
“Recent research shows that micronutrient deficiencies can also be experienced by people who are overnourished such as obesity. This condition shows that nutrition problems in Indonesia are “Multiple Burdens of Malnutrition,” said Prof Rimbawan.
Thus, he continued, nutrition problems are not only addressed with a simple paradigm such as “too much or too little”. A comprehensive approach is needed to address nutrition problems in Indonesia, including considering the possibility of multiple nutrient deficiencies, interactions between various nutrients and ecological conditions that affect the incidence of malnutrition.
Prof Rimbawan explained, to overcome these nutritional problems, an ecological approach to malnutrition is needed. The ecology of malnutrition is an approach that considers ecological aspects including internal factors such as nutrition, genetics, age group, and physiological conditions. In addition, this approach also considers external factors such as the environment of the home, school, community, including the food system and food security.
“We also need to carry out nutritional interventions in the form of fortification and supplementation, but currently some fortification and supplementation programs in Indonesia still focus on adding one particular micronutrient such as iodine fortification in salt to overcome disorders due to iodine deficiency or goiter,” said Prof Rimbawan.
Related to this nutrition intervention, Prof Rimbawan and his team succeeded in creating ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for toddlers to overcome stunting and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) or malnutrition. RUTF products are solid foods enriched with various nutrients, including vitamins and minerals.
“The development and use of RUTF also considers local raw materials and the acceptability of toddlers in Indonesia by considering good nutritional quality and completeness of nutrients according to international standards,” said Prof Rimbawan.
Based on the results of research conducted by Prof Rimbawan and his team, the efficacy of locally produced RUTF products compared to standard RUTF products shows positive results and is not different from standard RUTF. Thus, local RUTF products have been able to meet global standards and have the opportunity to be used to overcome the problem of malnutrition in Indonesia, especially in SAM toddlers.
Prof Rimbawan emphasized that nutrition education is also an important step in overcoming nutrition problems in Indonesia. He gave an example of a lunch program followed by nutrition education in Islamic boarding schools in West Java, East Java and Banten, showing that it can improve the good nutritional status of students and can reduce the incidence of anemia by 56 percent.
“Our society is not yet fully concerned with nutrition education, even though every packaged food has a nutrition and food label, but they do not fully understand this,” said Prof Rimbawan. (IAAS/Ard)
