Stunting is a manifestation of a form of nutritional deficiency (PE/micronutrients), which affects the baby before birth and early after birth, is related to nutrition during pregnancy, and fetal growth (chronic nutritional problems).
Stunting identified from the body length of a baby (up to two years old/baby) less than two standard deviations. It is predicted that as many as 127 million children under five in the world will experience stunting in 2025 if it is not addressed now (WHO. Global Nutrition Targets 2025: Stunting Policy Brief, 2018. WHO/NMH/NHD/14.3).
The consequences of stunting are irreversible (cannot be changed, are permanent), not only having an individual impact, but also a communal/population impact. Stunting in toddlers causes a decrease in cognitive abilities, growth and physical development. So in the short and long term it will reduce the productivity of children who have a history of stunting. Someone who has a history of stunting also has a higher risk of developing degenerative diseases such as diabetes mellitus (WHO, 2014).
Why the “1 Day 1 Egg” Movement?
One source of protein and important nutrients needed for children’s growth is eggs. Eggs contain essential amino acids, healthy fats, vitamins A, D, and B12, and minerals. Therefore, consuming eggs regularly can help meet children’s nutritional needs.
The “1 Day 1 Egg” movement aims to invite Indonesian people to give at least one egg to children every day. This simple step can be a solution to ensure children get the nutrition they need to grow and develop optimally.
Eggs are a food that is relatively easy to obtain and has an affordable price, so it can be accessed by various levels of society. Apart from that, eggs are also easy to process into various delicious and healthy dishes, so children will be happier eating them.
Benefits of the “1 Day 1 Egg” Movement in Reducing the Prevalence of Stunting
Good source of protein: Eggs are a complete source of high quality protein. Protein is needed to build and repair body tissue, including cells in children’s organs, muscles and bones.
Complete nutritional content: Eggs contain various important nutrients such as vitamins A, D, B12, iron, and zinc, which play a role in bone formation, the immune system, and cognitive function.
Stimulation of brain growth: Omega-3 fatty acids contained in eggs play a role in stimulating children’s brain growth, which is very important for cognitive development and learning.
Improved quality of life: By ensuring children get adequate nutrition, their quality of life will improve. Healthy and active children have greater potential to grow into a competitive generation.
Stunting prevention: By providing adequate nutrition, the “1 Day 1 Egg” movement can help prevent stunting in children, so that they can grow optimally and reach their full potential.
Form of Activity 1 Day 1 Egg
Cita Sehat launched the “1 Day 1 Egg” program in several provinces in Indonesia, namely Yogyakarta, West Java and DKI Jakarta. This program is carried out as a form of concern for the nutritional status of children in Indonesia.
The activities carried out are
- Stunting Awareness forum: a forum for discussion and education for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, mothers of toddlers at risk of stunting, posyandu cadres and local community leaders.
- Nutritional intervention by giving 1 egg every day to toddlers with indications of stunting for 3 consecutive months.
- Monitoring and evaluating the program every month. This activity was carried out to monitor the effectiveness of the program by gathering all beneficiaries and posyandu cadres.
Stunting is a public health problem that requires serious attention and real action. The “1 Day 1 Egg” movement as part of the program Toddler Nutrition Alert is a simple step but has a big chance of reducing the prevalence of child stunting in Indonesia.
By providing adequate nutrition, especially through consuming eggs, we can strive to ensure that children grow and develop optimally, thereby creating a healthy and high-quality future generation.
