Stunting in Indonesia: Winning the battle but losing the war?

Measure up: A child is measured using one of the in-home height charts developed by 1000 Days Fund. — The Jakarta Post/ANN

ABOUT 27.7% (1 out of 4) Indonesian children under five years of age remain stunted, despite massive efforts by the government. This figure from the Health Ministry’s 2019 Basic Health Survey (Riskedas) indicates an improvement from the 2018 national average of 31.8%. But with a stunting prevalence of 42.6% East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) — one of the archipelago’s most deprived and neglected regions — is perhaps a better gauge of the nation’s success, if not trials and tribulations, in its ongoing battle against this scourge.

Stunting, a term that conjures up images of film doubles engaged in death-defying moves, actually refers to a condition where undernourished children suffer reduced growth of body and brain. The more conspicuous sign is a shorter stature or low height for age, or a low weight for age in the case of extreme undernourishment, a condition called wasting. Less apparent, though more serious, is the deleterious effect on the nervous system, impairing cognitive and learning abilities.