Details: Category: Region 9; Published: 20 April 2022

Protein rich Stunting is an impaired growth and development caused by poor nutrition. It is manifested particularly in the first 1000 days of life. It is the failure of children to reach their full growth potential. Children are to be called stunted if they are too short for their age. Poor nutrition includes poor maternal nutrition and poor feeding practices, and these are the main causes of stunting. Aside from height that is not suitable for their age, another symptom is that the proportion of the body seems to look normal, but their weight is low for their age, and is experiencing a delay in bone growth. In their later age, children who are stunted will have difficulty obtaining their physical development. Their brain development is not at its optimal state resulting in a decrease in mental and learning abilities leading to poor learning achievement. The long-term effect of stunting is when they reach adulthood, they tend to be obese and have a greater risk of having non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, etc.

It is in the first two years of life among infants and young children that are critical for their growth and development. This is the time when sufficient nourishment is needed especially breastfeeding to create a strong foundation for their health as their body is continuously developing during these years. Pregnant women need to eat a variety of food to get all the essential nutrients needed to ensure that their children are born healthy and have a lower risk of being stunted. Breastfeeding mothers need to eat more nutritious foods to store the energy and nutrients they require to breastfeed successfully. Children 6-24 months old need to eat enough complementary food that is appropriate for their age. Foods from different food groups such as grains, meat, poultry, egg, fish, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables provide children with the nutrients they need to grow healthy and to fully develop reaching their optimal health.

One way to prevent stunting is to provide better nutritional intake which is through foods containing animal protein:

Eggs are quite easy to get plus, it is very high in protein that helps prevent stunting in children.
Tofu is not just a source of protein but also a good source of iron and calcium that is essential for children’s continuous growth and development.
Nuts contain vegetable protein which is a good source of protein that helps prevent stunting.
Fish is one of the healthy protein food sources that can help prevent stunting and malnutrition.
Red meat has a good source of protein and amino acids that help in the brain development and function in children
Chicken liver is also a good source of protein and amino acids to prevent stunting.
Avocado is known for its richness in vitamin E which has an important role in the growth and development of children.
Bread or rice provides nutrients and energy for a child's normal growth and development.
Milk or yogurt contains calcium to support your child’s growth and development.

Until now, stunting in children is one of the primary concerns here in our country. Maintaining a healthy, balanced, and nutritious diet is very important at this time of the pandemic. Stunting can be prevented through adequate nutrition during pregnancy, exclusively breastfeeding the baby for the first 6 months, and introducing complementary foods to the baby after 6 months. Then, continuous monitoring of their growth and development, ensuring clean water access, and proper sanitation can also help the children to stay healthy.

NOI Kimberly Tanador, RND

References:

Animal Sourced Foods and Child Stunting

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1093/ajae/aay053