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Background: Feeding practices among young children are not optimal in Indonesia. Improving these practices is crucial to prevent and reduce malnutrition among young children. A better understanding of the underlying factors to appropriate practices is essential to address barriers and identify opportunities to optimal practices. This paper aims to shed light on potential determinants of feeding practices among children above 6 months of age., Methods: A systematic research of several databases using combinations of different search terms: feeding, child, Indonesia, MPASI/complementary food, gizi/nutrition, factor, determinant, praktek/practices was conducted. All documents were reviewed using a three-step procedure to assess content appropriateness and research quality. Data were analyzed using the Hector's framework on behaviour change., Results: Available data on individual factors influencing feeding practices related mainly to mother's attributes, namely knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, beliefs and skills. Some of them are positively linked to good practices. Some environmental-related factors such as health services, home and peer environment were conducive to improved practices. Studies on societal factors were mostly restricted to food systems which do not favour optimal feeding practices., Conclusions: The review provides insights on underlying factors conducive to optimal feeding practices. Yet, relevant and quality research is required to get a better understanding on factors related to the environment and society as well as on how they are related with each other and operate in different contexts. Indonesia has already experimented successful programs which can be used as a reference to strengthen young child feeding practices.

Background: In Indonesia, 37% of children under-five are stunted, 12% wasted and 12% overweight. Adequate feeding practices among children above 6 months of age are critical to tackle malnutrition. National surveys have been conducted to assess feeding practices but these aggregates hide geographic disparities. While several studies have been conducted in specific country locations to address this gap, no attempt has been made to reconcile available information. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the literature on feeding practices among Indonesian children above six months of age., Methods: A literature search was conducted in several databases using combinations of different search terms: feeding, child, Indonesia, MPASI/complementary feeding, gizi/nutrition, factor, determinant, praktek/practices. All documents were reviewed using a three-step procedure to assess content appropriateness and research quality. Available information was analyzed using current recommendations on feeding practices., Results: Dietary diversity, consumption of iron-rich foods, active feeding and hygiene practices were among the non-optimal feeding practices. Consequently dietary intakes are not fulfilled for several micronutrients. Some feeding practices are worst in younger children. Differences between data from national and site-specific surveys are noted. Overall quality of the surveys needs to be strengthened., Conclusions: Generally, child feeding practices are not optimal. Indicators used to assess components of child feeding vary and make inter-survey comparisons challenging. The results also stress the need to investigate the underlying factors to optimal child feeding practices. The results may be used for advocacy of additional resource allocation for effective child feeding promotion programs.

Dietary Guidelines are sets of advisory statements that give dietary advice for population to promote nutritional well-being. They contain information on foods or behaviors that are encouraged and cautionary messages derived from scientific evidence-based reviews and specific local conditions. The Indonesian Dietary Guidelines consisting of 13 messages that were publicized by the Ministry of Health in 1995 and have not been reviewed afterward in relation to nutritional status and health outcome of the population. By reviewing studies on different age groups in the past 10 years and comparing the results with the recommended guidelines, this paper aims to identify if messages have been successfully applied and if there are relevant issues not yet covered in the guidelines. The reviews covered 29 out of 33 provinces, representing studies from sub-district or higher levels (district, provincial, national). Results showed that some messages have been better implemented than others; also that information for some messages was not available for which to conclude of its implementation. In addition, some practices were identified which are prevalent in several age groups and have important public health consequence, but not yet included in the 13-guidelines. These include: smoking, increased intakes of fruit and vegetables, limited intakes of salt and sugar, increased intakes of foods rich in zinc and calcium (besides iron), hand-washing before food preparation and eating, and weight-monitoring. For infants and young children, nutrient density, feeding responsiveness and stimulation should be specifically highlighted. Based on the results, several recommendations in revising the guidelines were given.

Indonesia, like many developing countries, is experiencing a rapid urbanisation characterised by double burden of disease in which non communicable diseases become more prevalent while infectious diseases remain undefeated. This report describes the nutrition transition which occurred to Indonesia after economic transformation in 1966, based on information gathered from published reports. The major sources of information used in this paper were: a) a series of Indonesian National Socio-Economic Surveys (SUSENAS) conducted regularly by Central Bureau of Statistics (which provided a coherent picture of the nutrition transition in Indonesia) and b) data collected from two relatively smaller surveys conducted in West Sumatra (which demonstrated the changes in food and nutrient intakes over the period 1983-1999). It was found that while Indonesia had a rapid economic growth since 1970s, major dietary changes included an increase in expenditure for meat, eggs, milk and prepared food, and a fall in expenditure in cereal products. Nutrient proportions had changed from carbohydrate to fat and protein but the proportions remained close to the ideal ratio. There was also a dramatic shift in causes of death from infectious to chronic diseases. It is concluded that the nutrition transition in Indonesia is similar to patterns in other developing countries. Although fat consumption increased slightly, there is movement to maintain the traditional diet.