Heaptalk, Jakarta — The free nutritious meal program, initiated by President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming during their campaign, began on January 6, 2025. The absence of milk in the first phase of this program has become a spotlight.
Prof. Dr. Tria Astika Endah Permatasari, a nutrition expert from Muhammadiyah University of Jakarta (UMJ), emphasized the importance of milk in daily nutrition as it is high in protein, calcium, and essential fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega 6. Its consumption significantly influences growth from pregnancy, breastfeeding, infancy, and early childhood to school-age children.
Improving nutritional status
“Actually, milk is not the only essential, but it is primary. Its nutritional content is essential, playing a very good role not only for adding nutritious food for young children but also for pregnant mothers during the first thousand days of life,” Tria explained in a workshop titled The Important Role of Milk in Free Nutritious Meals in South Jakarta (01/15).
In more detail, she mentioned that several research studies, not only in Indonesia, have proven an increment in weight gain, stunting prevention, and children’s intelligence. Some studies show that increasing the frequency of milk consumption daily improves the prevention of stunting in children.
Furthermore, Tria and her research team conducted a pilot project that provided nutritious meals supplemented with milk in four provinces, involving 1,420 elementary school students. The results showed a significant improvement in nutritional status. She added, “We can see the improvement in nutritional status by adding milk to the free nutritious meals.”
Fulfilling micronutrient needs
dr. Huminsa Ranto Morison Panjaitan, a pediatrician at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM), also emphasized the importance of milk consumption for children who are in the growth phase due to the micronutrient content in it, including B1, B6, zinc, iron, and probiotics. “Macronutrients must be present. If we see that there is rice, side dishes, and vegetables, it means the macronutrients are available. It is best to supplement it with milk for the micronutrients,” Ranto said in South Jakarta (01/15).
However, he added, fulfilling nutrition must balance macronutrients and micronutrients. “Don’t let children think that drinking milk means they don’t need to eat macronutrients. Many children at RSCM suffer from scurvy or vitamin C deficiency. They don’t want to eat but drink milk or eat snack, making their other (nutrient) needs unmet.”
Additionally, Ranto highlighted the critical role of milk in reducing the incidence of iron deficiency anemia, which is still high (40-50%) in developing countries, including Indonesia. “Providing milk will support additional iron intake, improving our children’s cognitive learning and academic performance. Hence, it is important for children to drink milk,” he concluded.
