Malnutrition during Early Childhood

Babies who are born with low birth weight generally will have a future life is less good. LBW babies have a higher risk of dying within the first five years of life. Those who can survive in the first five years will have a higher risk to have problems of their lives long term.

For non-LBW infants, in general they have the nutritional status at birth is approximately equal to the nutritional status of infants in the United States. But with age, coupled with nutrient intake is lower than kebutuhari and the high burden of infectious diseases at awalawal life then most babies Indonesia steadily declining nutritional status with a peak decrease at approximately 18-24 months of age.

In this age group the prevalence of children under five thin (wasting) and toddler short (stunted) reached the highest. Once past the age of 24 months, the nutritional status of children in general has improved although not perfect. Malnourished children under five who have a higher risk of death compared to infants who are not undernourished. Each year approximately 11 million and under five died worldwide due to infectious diseases such as ARI, diarrhea, malaria, measles, etc..

Ironically, 54% and deaths associated with malnutrition. Malnutrition among children under five include lack of energy and protein as well as lack of nutrients such as vitainin A, iron, iodine and zinc. Like the MMR, child mortality in Indonesia is also the highest in ASEAN. Infancy all the more important therefore is a critical time in an effort to create quality human resources.

Moreover the last six months of pregnancy and the first two years after the birth of a golden period in which brain cells are experiencing optimal growth and development. Failure to thrive due to malnutrition in this golden period will have a negative impact on subsequent life difficult repair. Children who suffer from malnutrition (stunted), weight has an average IQ of 11 points more
lower than average kids who are not stunted.

Prevalence of underweight children under five and year to year has decreased significantly. Preva! Ensi infants less nutritious (Z Scores Weight Loss by Age) reached 37.5%. In subsequent years the prevalence of malnourished children under five continued to decline so that the prevalence of malnourished children under five to 24.7%. But after Indonesia's multi-dimensional crisis, the prevalence is increasing again in a row to 26.1%, 27.3% and 27.5%.

Other malnutrition problems faced by children aged under five is a deficiency of micro nutrients like vitainin A, iron, iodine, and so forth. More and 50% of children under five vitainin A subclinical deficiency is characterized by serum retinol <20 mcg / dL, and one in two (48.1%) of them suffer from iron deficiency anemia.

As has been known that children who are less vitainin A even though the degree is to have a high risk for impaired pertumbuhari, suffering from some infectious diseases such as measles and diarrhea and, more important is that vitainin A deficiency is responsible for 23% of deaths of children under five around the world.