SOCIAL ANALYSIS OF CHILDHOOD STUNTING IN INDONESIA

Abstract

Indonesia is on its way to reducing stunting, yet the marked gap in stunting prevalence across the regions urges further investigation. This review aimed to provide a social analysis of stunting in Indonesia and propose recommendations for supporting the attempts at stunting reduction. A set of themes was used in analyzing evidence and continued with narrative analysis following a social analysis framework. This analysis highlighted the gap in stunting prevalence across provinces and described the relationship between stunting and social determinants of health, eg maternal nutrition knowledge and poverty. Poverty has significantly affected stunting, and the pandemic might worsen it. However, stunting might also happen among affluent households with misinformation and a lack of nutrition knowledge. We found that the short average of Indonesians’ height and unclear signs of stunting have caused public unawareness of stunting as an undernutrition issue. It was exacerbated by limited access to health and nutrition information among mothers. The government has been regulating a set of interventions through the National Strategy to Accelerate Stunting Prevention, yet more support is still required at the structural and intermediary levels. Thus, given the current social context of Indonesia’s health and nutrition, these measures are recommended: 1) improving central-local governments’ coordination and multisectoral collaboration; 2) integrating nutrition interventions with poverty reduction actions; 3) building the nutrition capacity of mothers and local community health workers; 4) promoting local foods to support children’s nutritional adequacy; and 5) strengthening community engagement in addressing stunting at the local level.