The issue of stunting is considered a longstanding problem that requires a comprehensive solution addressing its root causes, primarily linked to malnutrition in toddlers. According to data from the Bantul Health Office in 2023, stunting cases in Bantul Regency are notably high, with a concentration of cases in the Imogiri District. The data, as of May 2023, reveals a total of 857 children, and 21% of them are in Selopamioro Village.To address this problem, UGM students have innovated Chicken Breast and Sesame Seed Cheese Sticks through the Empowerment of Integrated Health Posts (Posyandu) in Selopamioro Village to Prevent Stunting Based on Sociopreneurship. This innovation was developed by Adam Satria Buana (Faculty of Geography 2020) and Sekar Alya Maharani (Faculty of Biology 2021), under the guidance of Dr. Rika Harini, S.Si., MP.
The innovation was submitted to the NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH PROJECT (PHP) 2023 Scientific Paper Competition, organized by the Student Association of Public Health Sciences at Malang State University with the theme “Driving Change with innovative ideas: Generation Z’s Impact on Global Equality and a Sustainable Future through SDGs.” The Grand Final presentation took place on Saturday, October 14, 2023, conducted through Zoom Meetings and the team secured the 2nd place among a total of 10 Grand Finalist teams representing both public and private universities in Indonesia.
This research was conducted from August to September 2023 in Selopamioro Village and Universitas Gadjah Mada, covering the entire process from planning to report preparation. Following the guidelines outlined in Minister of Health Regulation Number 51 of 2016, the cheese formulation focused on protein and calcium content, specifically aiming to provide supplementary food for stunted children with a protein content of 8-12 grams and calcium content of 225-450mg. Based on test results obtained from the Food and Nutrition Study Center at Universitas Gadjah Mada, in a 100-gram sample, the protein content as a macronutrient was found to be 12.20% of the total nutritional content. Meanwhile, calcium, classified as a micronutrient required in smaller quantities, was found to be 0.45%. The nutritional content of the healthy cheese sticks meets the minimum requirements for supplementary snacks for stunted children, which is 9.38%, and aligns with Minister of Health Regulation Number 51 of 2016, which specifies a protein range of 8-12 grams and calcium range of 225-450mg. The majority of the population, accounting for 80%, is not yet aware of the importance of adding healthy supplementary food to prevent the prevalence of stunting cases in Selopamioro Village. Through the sociopreneurship training and promotion of healthy cheese sticks, 90% of the community became aware of the importance of preventing stunting, particularly by providing nutritious snacks to meet the daily nutritional needs of toddlers.
The research results indicate that out of 91 toddlers and children given cheese sticks, 89.01% (81 children) experienced an increase in height, while 93.41% (85 children) showed weight gain. These findings demonstrate the success rate of providing cheese sticks as supplementary food in fulfilling the daily protein and calcium needs of stunted toddlers and children.