Non-compliance with iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation is a significant contribution to the high prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls in Indonesia. This pilot study aims to explore the perceived barriers and enablers to regular IFA supplement consumption among adolescent girls. Using a qualitative approach, data were collected through focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted in Makassar and Padang City. The FGD involved 32 grade eight and nine students from four junior high schools. In-depth interviews were also conducted with health workers, teachers, and parents to triangulate the findings. A thematic analysis was performed using a social cognitive theory framework. The average age of the informants was 13.6 ± 0.6 years. Despite receiving IFA supplements at school, only 47% of informants reported consuming them regularly. Key barriers to regular supplementation included dislike of the taste and smell, parental prohibition, negative experience consuming IFA supplements, the belief that IFA supplements increase menstrual blood flow and volume, and forgetfulness factors. Enablers include self-awareness of the supplement’s benefits, trust in school-provided supplements, and positive support from parents and peers. The findings highlight that both barriers and enablers play a crucial role in influencing IFA supplementation adherence. Addressing these factors is essential for improving compliance and reducing anemia rates among adolescent girls. Given the small sample size and convenience sampling method, this study serves as a pilot, and further research is needed to validate these findings on a larger scale.

Dietary and plasma carboxymethyl lysine (dCML, pCML) and plasma tumor necrosis factor-α (pTNF-α) may be associated with obesity in affluent society. However, evidence in women from low-middle income countries with predominantly traditional diets is lacking. We investigated the mediator effects of dCML, pCML and pTNF-α on body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) among Indonesian women. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 235 non-diabetic, non-anemic and non-smoking women aged 19–50 years from selected mountainous and coastal areas of West Sumatra and West Java. Dietary CML, pCML, pTNF-α were obtained from 2 × 24-h recalls, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Between-group differences were analyzed by the Chi-square or Mann-Whitney test and mediator effects by Structural Equation Modeling. The medians and interquartile-ranges of dCML, pCML and pTNF-α were 2.2 (1.7–3.0) mg/day, 22.2 (17.2–28.2) ng/mL and 0.68 (0.52–1.00) IU/mL, respectively, and significantly higher in the WC ≥ 80 cm than in the WC < 80 cm group, but not in BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² compared to BMI < 25 kg/m² group. Plasma CML and pTNF-α were positively and directly related to WC (β = 0.21 [95% CI: 0.09, 0.33] and β = 0.23 [95% CI: 0.11, 0.35], respectively). Dietary CML that correlated with dry-heat processing and cereals as the highest contributions was positively related to WC (β = 0.33 [95% CI: 0.12, 0.83]). Ethnicity, level of education, intake of fat, and intake of energy contributed to dCML, pCML and pTNF-α, and subsequently affected WC, while only ethnicity contributed to BMI through dCML, pCML and pTNF-α (β = 0.07 [95% CI: 0.01, 0.14]). A positive direct effect of dCML on pCML and of pCML and pTNF-α on WC was seen among Indonesian women. Dietary CML seems to have several paths that indirectly influence the increases in WC if compared to BMI. Thus, intake of CML-rich foods should be reduced, or the foods consumed in moderate amounts to avoid the risk of central obesity in this population.

Optimizing the health and nutritional status of mothers during pregnancy can reduce the risk of stunting, with prevalence among children under five, in which the undernutrition condition was still high. It was about 24.4%. The research objective is to determine the association between maternal characteristics with nutritional status in the first trimester. This cross-sectional study involved 52 pregnant women in the first trimester. This study was conducted in the working area of health centers in Padang City 2022 which had a high prevalence of undernutrition problems. Data analysis was carried out using univariate tests and bivariate tests using chi-square with 95% CI and a significance level of p-value 0.05. The analysis results showed a significant relationship between BMI before pregnancy with nutritional status in the first trimester among pregnant women (p-value = 0.000). There is no relationship between education, occupation, age, and parity of the mother with nutritional status in the first trimester. Suggestions for pregnant women are to know their nutritional status, consume nutritious foods that are needed for fetal growth, and reduce the risk of low birth weight and stunting.

The practice of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) can reduce mortality and morbidity rates in children and supports optimal growth and development in children. The practice of EBF influenced by various predisposing factors, supporting factors and reinforcing factors. This study aimed to evaluate the determinants of exclusive breastfeeding practices among mothers of infants 6-24 months old infants in Padang. This case control study conducted at Padang with 200 mothers, consisting of 100 mothers of case groups and 100 mothers of control groups. Maternal and infant characteristics, family characteristics, predisposing factors, supporting factors and reinforcing factors, and exclusive breastfeeding were collected for this study. Chi square and binary logistic regression were used to the data analysis. Results showed that mother's occupation, exclusive breastfeeding knowledge and parent’s support were the most influencing determinants for exclusive breastfeeding.

Dadih is a dairy product obtained from fermented buffalo milk in West Sumatra, Indonesia. It contains various nutrients and probiotics that are beneficial for prenatal supplementation and pregnancy outcomes. In this study, a pudding enriched with dadih was formulated. The study was conducted in November-December 2019 at the Nutrition Laboratory Andalas University. The design of this study was a True Experiment using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with two replications consisting of four formulas. They were F0, F1, F2, and F3 with the addition of dadih at 0, 80, 90, and 100 g, respectively. Analysis of nutritional value and the number of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) was performed. Based on the nutritional value analysis, 100 g of dadih pudding contains 11.59% of carbohydrate, 1.24% of protein, 1.09% of fat, with a total of 61.13 calories for F0; 10.41% of carbohydrate, 2.29% of protein, 3.29% of fat, with a total of 80.41 calories for F1; 10.12% of carbohydrate, 4.74% of protein, 3.32% of fat, with a total 89.32 calories for F2; and 11.84 % of carbohydrate, 3.05% of protein, 3.13% of fat, with a total 87,73 calories for F3. The result of the LAB test of dadih pudding showed that: F0 at 3.1 × 103 (CFU/g); F1 at 1.7 × 109 (CFU/g); F2 at 2.4 × 109 (CFU/g), and F3 at 2.4 × 109 (CFU/g). While the result of the Kruskall Wallis test showed that there was a significant difference between the hedonic test and the hedonic quality test of four dadih pudding formulas (p<0.000). The chosen formula was F3 with the highest nutrition value average of 87.73 kcaL total calories. Dadih pudding is recommended as a food supplementation because it is good for the digestive system and can increase the immune system of pregnant women.

BACKGROUND: Dadih is an Indonesian traditional fermented buffalo milk produced and consumed by the secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) level and nutritional status of infants aged 4–10 months. AIM: This study aims to assess the effect of dadih and zinc supplementation given to pregnant mothers for 6 months on fecal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted in two districts on 138 pregnant mothers for 6 months, randomly assigned into three groups, namely, control, dadih, combination of dadih and zinc groups. Then, the combination of groups was supplemented to expecting mothers, respectively, 6 times a week during 6 months. Anthropometric measurement and fecal sIgA of infants were assessed. RESULTS: The prevalence of nutritional status of infants who mothers were supplemented during pregnancy with dadih, dadih and zinc, and, normal diet, respectively, are 10% stunting, 5.0% underweight, and 5.0% wasting infants; and 22.5% stunted, 20.0% underweight, and 5.0% wasting infants were found in expecting mothers supplemented with it and without any supplementation (control group). The percentage of stunting in 8 months and older infants tended to reduce: 28.57%, 31.25%, and 11.76%. Their mothers were supplemented with all groups. CONCLUSION: Dadih and zinc are potential for improving nutritional status of the newborn. In addition, the two types of supplementation are recommended to pregnant mothers, to reduce the prevalence of stunting. Potential probiotic contained in Dadih which consumed in adequate amounts can help the absorption of nutrients and increase immunity of mothers and infants amounts confer a health benefit. Acceleration and growth of infants to achieve optimal growth and development should be carried out before they are under two years old.