DIVERSITY OF COMPLEMENTARY FOOD AMONG INDONESIAN CHILDREN AGED 6-10 MONTHS: ANALYSIS OF THE DATA FROM THE 2017 INDONESIA DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEY

Giving children diverse complementary food is one of the recommendations according to the Indonesian government's balanced-diet guidelines. The minimum dietary diversity (MDD) is an indicator for measuring a child's dietary patterns. The MDD of Indonesian children aged 6-11-months in 2017 was 33.8%, which was the lowest among other age groups and under the national rate. This study aimed to explore the dietary diversity of Indonesian children aged 6-11-months by using the data from the 2017 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey. The final samples included in the analysis were 1,593 children. Descriptive and bivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. The proportion of MDD for the children was 35.2%, and Sumatra Province had the highest proportion (41.8%). Children were mostly fed with staple food (89.3%), breast milk (77.4%), and Vitamin-A-rich vegetables and fruit (61.0%). The likelihood of children in Papua, Bali and Nusa Tenggara, and Sulawesi to received appropriate complementary food decreased up to 45.6% (OR=0.545; 95% CI: 0.344-0.859, p=0.009), 54.8% (OR=0.452; 95% CI: 0.283-0.720, p= 0.001), and 52.4% (OR=0.476; 95% CI: 0.300-0.686, p< 0.001), respectively. In essence, Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Java exhibited the highest MDD proportion, yet children in these regions remained susceptible to obtaining a universal diet. It is imperative to take measures to mitigate the gaps in knowledge and economic disparities to guarantee that Indonesian children attain the necessary dietary diversity for their growth and development. Food taboos or unfavorable culture related to child feeding practice that circulate among populations in each area should be debunked and explained by the health workers. Since the market price was volatile and sensitive in different geographical conditions, it is suggested that market price should be controlled by the government. Moreover, support and empowerment to create local -sourced complementary food that met the dietary diversity by the health offices in collaboration with stakeholders also suggested.