School-aged Children In Indonesia Research Articles

Parental involvement in early literacy development: narratives from Indonesian low-income parents

ABSTRACT Set in the context of socioeconomically disadvantaged parents in Indonesia, this study sought to explore parents’ lived experiences of their involvement in supporting their children’s early literacy development and gain insight into the obstacles they faced in assisting their children’s early literacy practices. This study utilised a qualitative research design that was based on narrative inquiry. A total of 10 parents with primary school-age children in Indonesia were interviewed. The data were analysed thematically, employing a narrative methodology. Through in-depth analysis of the data, we were able to identify two distinct narratives. (1) A narrative of inequality highlighted mothers’ frustration with their partners’ low involvement and parents’ concern about schools. (2) A narrative of hope explored parents’ optimistic view of the enhanced communication between parents and teachers. In addition, despite the economic difficulties, they highly appreciated the participation of their extended family in assisting their children’s early literacy development.

Development Of Jelly Gum From Corn (Zea mays L.) And Tempeh (Rhizopus sp.) To Support Healthy Snacking In School-Aged Children

Background: Unhealthy snacking remains a major nutritional issue among school-aged children in Indonesia. The consumption of jelly gum available in the market today has the potential to pose nutritional risks due to their high sugar content. This research aims to develop a healthy snack formula in the form of jelly gum for school-aged children using corn (Zea mays L.) and tempeh (Rhizopus sp.).Research Methods: This research is an experimental study carried out through several stages, namely idea development, product testing through standard recipes, production, proximate analysis, and product finalization.Research Result: The results of the study indicate that corn and tempeh jelly gum is potential to be a healthier snack choice for school-aged children compared to similar products in the market with lower fat and sugar content per serving size.Conclusion: Low-sugar jelly gum made from corn and tempeh is very suitable for school-aged children to prevent childhood obesity and diabetes

AN INNOVATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: G-MOOC 4D TO ENHANCE VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS LEARNING MOTIVATION

The proliferation of visual impairment among school-age children in Indonesia has prompted the need for specialized online learning solutions. The G-MOOC 4D platform, a novel Learning Management System (LMS), is designed to address this need by leveraging gamification and artificial intelligence to enhance accessibility for visually impaired users. This study reports on the development and testing of two AI models within the G-MOOC 4D framework: a facial recognition model for secure user authentication and a voice command model for interactive learning. User Acceptance Testing (UAT), conducted with expert users, namely teachers at a special needs school, showed high approval rates for the platform's features. The results show that all metrics, accuracy, precision, and recall reach their optimal values at a distance of 40 cm for face detection. The respective metric scores at that distance, precision: 100%, accuracy: 98%, and recall: 97%. Additionally, the voice command functionality tested achieved a 100% recognition rate, reflecting the platform’s potential to significantly ease the learning process for visually impaired students. The findings underscore the importance of integrating assistive technologies into educational platforms to ensure all students have equal access to learning opportunities.

A descriptive study of smoking behavior in school-aged children in Indonesia: Analysis of the 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey

Background Adolescents face high pressure to participate in smoking behavior. The impact of smoking will not only affect the health of children and adolescents today, but also their later health status in adulthood. Children who start smoking at a young age are at higher risk of nicotine addiction than those who start in adulthood. Over time, this condition leads to continued cigarette consumption with age.
 Objective To describe smoking behavior in school-aged children in Indonesia.
 Methods This was a descriptive study using secondary data from The 2019 Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) in Indonesia. A sample of 7,582 school-aged children (13-15 years) was selected for this study. The study variables were age, sex, spending money, smoking status, age when they first started smoking, number of days of smoking within the last 30 days, average number of cigarettes per day, electric cigarette use, accessibility to electric cigarettes, and information source on electric cigarettes.
 Results The largest age group in this study was 14 years old (18.21%). Most subjects were female (57.49%). One-third (2,546 children; 33.57%) of the children have tried or experimented with cigarette smoking. Out of those, 722 children (9.52%) started smoking at the age of 12-13 years and 468 children (6.17%) consumed an average of 1 cigarette per day. Two-thirds of the children were already familiar with e-cigarettes (n=6,061 or 79.94%). The e-cigarettes were obtained from other people (8.16%) and information on e-cigarettes were mostly obtained from peers (8.19%).
 Conclusion a third of school-aged children in Indonesia have tried or experimented with cigarette smoking. Most of the information on cigarette smoking come from their peers.

Pengaruh penyuluhan menggunakan media lembar balik tentang buah dan sayur pada siswa sekolah dasar

Background: The prevalence of fruit and vegetable consumption among school-aged children In Indonesia is approximately 96%. A lack of fruit and vegetable consumption can lead to a decreased immune system, increase the risk of constipation, cancer, and obesity, and reduce human resource productivity. Therefore, elementary school students' knowledge of nutrition, especially fruits and vegetables, needs to be improved by providing nutrition education on the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption.Objectives: To determine the effect of counseling using flip sheet media on increasing elementary school student’s knowledge of the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption in elementary school children.Methods: The research model used two stages. The first stage uses a media development design (R&D), and the second uses a quasi-experimental approach. The sample comprised of 44 participants. This research was conducted at SDN 62 in Banda Aceh, Lueng Bata District, Banda Aceh City. This study was conducted between April and May 2023. Data collection included primary and secondary data processed through editing, coding, processing, and cleaning. Data analysis was performed using a Dependent T-test at a 95% confidence interval (CI).Results: Counseling increased the children's knowledge of the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption (p= 0,006). The average knowledge of students before being given counseling using the flip sheet media was 64,55 + 8,19. Then, after being given counseling, the average value of knowledge increased to 96,02 + 4,39.Conclusion: Counseling using flip-sheet media affected children's knowledge of the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption.

Quality and Pattern of Breakfast Through the GEMPITA PROGRAM at Palu City, Central Sulawesi

Many school-aged children in Indonesia still skip breakfast, which can have an impact on their learning concentration and academic performance at school. This study aims to describe the quality and pattern of breakfast through the GEMPITA Program at Palu City, Central Sulawesi. This was a descriptive study with a sample size of 228 elementary and junior high school students in Palu City. Data collection was performed through interviews using structured questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. The study results show that the majority of respondents had pocket money of more than IDR 5,000/day, came from families with fathers of senior high school graduates and non-civil servants, the mothers generally had primary and secondary education and were housewives. Furthermore, the majority of respondents had a routine breakfast habit by 57.9%, 20.2% had breakfast sometimes and 21.9% never had breakfast. Furthermore, only 32.9% had quality breakfast menu. Regarding snack consumption habit, the majority of respondents by 77.2% consumed snacks more than three times a week and more than half of respondents by 58.3% had the habit of bringing packed meal, while 41.7% never brought packed meal. An assessment of the nutritional status of respondents showed that there were still 33.3% who were undernourished and 7.9% who were over nourished and obese. Stunting status occurred in 18.9% of respondents. The breakfast habit, quality and pattern of elementary and high school students still need to be improved. The GEMPITA program is an alternative program to improve the pattern and quality of breakfast for elementary and high school-aged children in Palu City.

Micronutrients and Nutrition Status of School-Aged Children in Indonesia.

Micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs) in school-aged children are still a major health problem in Indonesia. This study was designed to examine the status of micronutrients and their relationship to the nutritional status of children aged 5-12 years since an up-to-date database on the micronutrient status of children aged 5-12 years is needed. Data from the 2018 Indonesian Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) were used in this study, with 2456 subjects for analysis. Micronutrient analysis was carried out, including iron status (ferritin, C reactive protein (CRP)), levels of zinc, vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin A (retinol) in school-aged children (5-12 years). The ELISA measurement was applied to measure CRP, ferritin, and vitamin D. Zinc levels were analysed with atomic absorbance spectroscopy (AAS). Moreover, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was applied to calculate vitamin A. In addition, stunting and thinness data were also obtained from the Riskesdas study. The results showed that the prevalence of stunting and thinness in school-aged children was 11.4% and 9.2%, respectively, showing that the stunting prevalence in the city was lower than in the village (4.5% vs. 6.9%, P = 0.000, respectively). In addition, the prevalence of MNDs in Indonesian children was 13.4%, 19.7%, 4.2%, 3%, and 12.7% for ferritin, zinc, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin D, respectively. The mean serum level of vitamin A and zinc was significantly lower in stunted children compared to normal school children (P = 0.010 and P = 0.014). The serum concentration of vitamin D was significantly lower in overweight children compared to thin and normal children (P = 0.000). Serum values of ferritin, zinc, and vitamin A were significantly higher in overweight children compared to thin and normal children (P = 0.000). A poor correlation was observed between the z-score of height-for-age (HAZ) and the levels of zinc (r = 0.089, P = 0.000), vitamin A (r = 0.105, P = 0.000), and vitamin D (-0.073, P = 0.000). In addition, very weak correlations between z-scores of body mass index-for-age (BAZ) and the serum concentrations of ferritin (0.091, P = 0.000), zinc (r = 0.115, P = 0.000), vitamin A (r = 0.137, P = 0.000), and vitamin D (r = -0.112, P = 0.000) were also seen. In conclusion, school-aged children in Indonesia experienced stunting, thinness, and micronutrient deficiency. Furthermore, stunting and thinness were also related to micronutrient deficiencies.

SCHOOL HEALTH PROGRAM AS AN EDUCATIONAL FACILITY IN INCREASING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT DENTAL AND ORAL HEALTH AT BUNGA BANGSA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Dental and oral health in Indonesia is still a health problem that requires attention. To address dental and oral health problems in Indonesia, particularly in school-age and adult groups, it is necessary to carry out promotive-preventive activities by inviting local universities and business entities that focus on dental and oral health. The most common dental and oral diseases are caries and periodontal disease. One of the strategies of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia in reducing the number of dental caries sufferers is by declaring the "Carry Free Indonesia 2030" program. The lack of knowledge and awareness of the Indonesian population regarding dental hygiene and the difficulty of reaching information due to the geographical conditions in several regions in Indonesia which make it impossible to hamper the distribution of education. The Training of Trainer Program targets teachers and parents for 21 days of morning and evening toothbrushes, teaching children and adults about the benefits of good oral hygiene and showing them how to brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. This program aims to provide comprehensive, applicable and sustainable education and knowledge about dental and oral health to school-age children in Indonesia.

Retailer's Density and Single Stick Cigarette's Accessibility among School-Age Children in Indonesia.

The density of single-stick cigarette sales is related to the increase in tobacco epidemic-related diseases. This study aims to provide evidence of retailers' density and radius around the school location, accessibility of single-stick cigarette selling among school-age children, and retailers' response regarding the restriction policy options in urban areas in Indonesia. It is a cross-sectional study. The retailers' spatial density and the radius around schools in Daerah Khusus Ibukota (DKI) Jakarta Province were investigated using Google Maps and Google Street View (GSV). The coordinates of retailers and schools were geo-coded to Kernel Density Map. The accessibility of single-stick cigarettes among children and restriction policy options for cigarette selling were derived from random sampling using surveys of 64 retailers based on Google Data results. Virtually walking using google maps and GSV found 8,371 retailers in DKI Jakarta. There were ± 15 cigarette retailers every 1 km2, and an average of ± one cigarette retailer in every 1,000 residents. There were 456 (21.67%) retailers with a radius ≤ 100 meters around elementary schools, even an increase around junior high school locations of 167 (26.05%) retailers. The accessibility of cigarettes among children is easy because the price is relatively low, at Rp1,500/ $0.11 per stick. In addition, 58.1% of retailers allowed customers to buy on debt. Eleven percent of cigarette retailers intended to reduce the sale of cigarettes if the prohibition of single-stick cigarette sales were applied. Cigarette retailers were very dense and single-stick cigarettes were still accessible to children in Indonesia. The implementation of the prohibition on single-stick cigarette sales should be added for future tobacco control in developing countries such as Indonesia.

Factors Associated with Parental Intention to Vaccinate Their Primary School-Aged Children in Indonesia

Along with the consistent increase in the COVID-19 vaccination rate, the Indonesian government continues to strive to control the pandemic with various policy programmes. On the other hand, the vaccination programme has also been expanded to 6-11 years school children to foster the implementation of school reopening despite many debates and controversies circulated in the country. Identifying parental health beliefs toward vaccination, this study aims to examine factors influencing parental intention to vaccinate their children. An online survey was conducted to attain responses from 400 study participants from 9 selected provinces. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques on the SPSS version 26. This study revealed that vaccination acceptance is high among parents in Indonesia. Parents’ intention to vaccinate their children was significantly influenced by health beliefs. The multiple regression analysis suggested perceived susceptibility (β = .146, p = .012), perceived benefits (β = .249, p = .000) and cues to action (β = .220, p = .000) as significant predictors which positively influenced the vaccination intention, while the perceived barrier (β = -.316, p = .000) was identified as a negative predictor of the dependent variable in the model. There was a significant mean difference in parental intention within gender, age group, and household income. The findings of this study emphasised the need to provide a more strategic health messaging and health education programme to address the issues surrounding the barriers to implementing vaccination for children in Indonesia. Keywords: COVID-19, vaccine acceptance, health belief model, school children, Indonesia.

Effect of Leaf and Fruit Extract of Fig (Ficus carica) on Hemoglobin Levels in Mice (Mus musculus)

According to WHO, the number of people with anemia in the world reaches two billion or 30% of the world's population. About 25% of adolescents and school-age children in Indonesia suffer from anemia. One of the anemia drugs that is often used is neo plus blood tablets, but the side effects of these drugs cause nausea and constipation. The leaves and fruit of tin can be used as an alternative to natural anemia treatment. This research is experimental in nature using a completely randomized design. This study aims to determine the effect of fig leaf and fruit extracts on hemoglobin (Hb) levels tested on mice. The test animals were divided into 3 groups, the control group was given distilled water and the other two groups were given extracts of fig leaves and fruit. The volume of the extract was given orally at a dose of 300 mg/Kg BW for 14 consecutive days. The results showed the average hemoglobin level of mice in group 1 (8.73 g/dl), group 2 (10.90 g/dl), and group 3 (11.28 g/dl). It can be concluded that group 3 with fig extract gave the best results in increasing the hemoglobin levels of the test animals.

HUBUNGAN AKTIVITAS FISIK, POLA MAKAN, JENIS KELAMIN, TEMAN SEBAYA DAN UANG SAKU DENGAN KEJADIAN GIZI LEBIH PADA ANAK DI SEKOLAH DASAR NEGERI 002 SEKUPANG KOTA BATAM TAHUN 2022

Overnutrition is the excessive accumulation of fat in the body. Child overweight is also increasing, with one in five primary school age children in Indonesia being overweight. The prevalence of overweight in children reaches 5.4% in developing countries. Many factors influence over nutrition including dietary habit, physical activity, peers, and pocket money. This study aims to determine the relationship between physical activity, dietary habit, gender, peers and pocket money with the incidence of overnutrition in children at the 002 Sekupang State Elementary School, Batam City. This research is an analytic study with a cross sectional. Respondents in this study were 63 respondents with the sampling technique used was Probability Sampling with Stratified Random Sampling.statistical test chi- square showed that there was a relationship between physical activity (p = 0.001< 0.01), dietary habit (p = 0.000 < 0.01), peers (p = 0.005 < 0.01), pocket money (p = 0.004 < 0.01), and there is no gender relationship (p = 0.124) with the incidence of overnutrition due to the value (p value > 0.01). It is hoped that parents will be able to regulate a balanced dietary habit, balanced with good physical activity, and not give excess pocket money in order to overcome nutrition status problems in children.

Improvement of Students and Snack Vendors Behavior After Received Health Promotion Program from UKS’s Cadres

Background: School Health Program or UKS aims to improve students learning achievement by improving their health status including the fulfillment of nutrition so that they can grow and develop optimally. The nutritional problems of school-age children in Indonesia, according to Riskesdas 2018 data, are children with the short/stunting category reaching 30.7%, while those who are obese are 8% and anemic 26%. Nutritional problems in school children will affect the quality of human resources in the future. Objectives: This study examined the effect of promoting healthy and safe snacks by UKS’s cadres on increasing knowledge, attitudes, behavior of students and snack sellers.Materials and Methods: The first stage of research was training elementary school students UKS’s cadres who will become educators on promoting healthy and safe food consumption behavior. The second stage was assessed to 360 randomly selected students and 94 school vendors in 12 different schools. The intervention schools received a package of promotions delivered by UKS’s cadres while the comparison group received the poster. Data on knowledge, attitudes, behavior of students and food sellers were collected using a questionnaire instrument. The data were collected by the researchers assisted by 12 enumerators, 6 research field assistants and 12 teachers in charge of the research field. Bivariate analysis using t-test, Wilcoxon test, and Mann Whitney test were used to assess the differences between the groups. Results: After intervention by UKS.s cadres, there was a change in students' knowledge of 51.1% for knowledge of healthy snacks, 52.8% about safe snacks, 82.8% about formalin, 62.8% about borax, and 75.6% about Rhodamine B. Changes in the behavior of snack sellers, the highest percentage of changes in holding food with tools is 62.5% and not holding food after holding money is 54.2%. Increased change were significantly higher in the intervention groups than the comparison group (p <0.05).Conclusion: The UKS’s cadres as trained peer-educators could significantly improve safe and healthy food behavior of students as well as knowledge of snack school vendors. UKS’s cadres as promoters of healthy and safe snacks can be used as a mandatory UKS program in school to achieve food safety for school children

The Effectiveness of Storytelling to Improve Handwashing Knowledge and Attitude in School-Age Children in Indonesia

During the COVID-19 pandemic, good knowledge and attitude towards handwashing are essential. Education through various media is found in public places, television, social media and others. However, a specific approach is needed for children of school age as a vulnerable population, since the prevalence of COVID-19 is relatively high in this group. Storytelling is a method to deliver health education and develop cognitive (knowledge), affective (feelings), social and conative aspects in children. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of storytelling in improving handwashing knowledge and attitudes among school-age children. This research used a quantitative approach with a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design, and it was conducted in April-May 2021. A total of 40 respondents participated. Data were collected using a self-filled questionnaire related to handwashing knowledge and attitude with good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.881 [knowledge] and > 0925 [attitude]). Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 23 for univariate and bivariate formulas. Storytelling had a significant impact on knowledge and attitudes in the school-age children (p < 0.001).
 Keywords: storytelling, hand puppets, knowledge, attitude, school-age children

Correlation between Catch-up Growth in Early Childhood with Cognitive Ability among School-Aged Children (10–12 Years): A Longitudinal Study

BACKGROUND: Children’s cognitive abilities are influenced by the nutritional condition of children in early childhood. Catch-up growth in early childhood affects cognitive abilities at school age. AIM: This study aims to analyze the effect of catch-up growth in early childhood on the cognitive abilities of school-aged children in Indonesia. METHODS: This study was a cohort study incorporating 10 years of follow-up using three waves of secondary data (1997, 2000, and 2007) from the Indonesia Family Life Survey. Research studies and data analysis were carried out from April to September 2021. The initial data collection of the study was conducted in 1997 when the children were 0–23 months old, then followed in 2000 (age 3–5 years) and 2007 (age 10–12 years). The study subjects were 537 children aged 0–23 months in 1997. Cognitive ability was measured using the Raven Progressive Matrices method. Statistical analysis for cognitive ability scores with catch-up growth was carried out using one-way analysis of variance and multivariate analysis using the generalized linear model. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in the cognitive ability scores of normal children and stunted children who did not experience catch-up growth (p<0.001), but the cognitive scores of normal children are not significantly different from the stunting catch-up growth group. Other factors that affect the cognitive ability score were as follows: (1) Child factors consist of child stunting status, head circumference, hemoglobin levels, duration of breastfeeding, and complete basic immunization history; (2) parental factors such as father’s occupation, parental education, and number of parity; (3) household socioeconomic factors (household income and wealth index); and (4) environmental factors (housing area, father’s smoking habit, defecation facilities, and household drinking water sources). CONCLUSION: Cognitive abilities of school-age children were most influenced by catch-up growth, stunting status, duration of breastfeeding, number of parity, father’s education, father’s occupation, and father’s smoking habit. Children who experience catch-up growth have better cognitive abilities than stunted non-catch-up group or who experience stunting during early life.

Correlation Between Authoritarian Parenting and Self-Confidence in School-Age Children in Indonesia: A cross-sectional study

In school-age children, self-confidence is needed to complete the task of psychosocial development, namely industry or the stage of achievement. Which if not implemented correctly, the child will become inferior. Authoritarian parents who often curb and punish can affect a child's self-confidence. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between authoritarian parenting style and self-confidence of school-age children. This study used observational analysis with a cross-sectional approach. The subjects of this study were 96 primary school students who were take using a stratified random sampling technique. Data collection used an authoritarian parenting questionnaire and a self-confidence questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test. Analysis results showed that there were 54.2% of respondents who got an authoritarian parenting style, and 45.8% of respondents have low self-confidence. The chi-square test showed a correlation between authoritarian parenting style and self-confidence of school-age children (p-value = 0,001) with OR of 5,211. School-age children who get authoritarian parenting have the risk of experiencing low self-confidence 5,211 times higher. Nurses can provide health education and counseling about good parenting to the parents and teachers.

Effect of probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum Dad-13 powder consumption on the gut microbiota and intestinal health of overweight adults.

BACKGROUNDShifting on lifestyle, diet, and physical activity contributed on increasing number of obese people around the world. Multiple factors influence the development of obesity. Some research suggested that gut microbiota (GM) plays an important role in nutrient absorption and energy regulation of individuals, thus affecting their nutritional status. Report of Indonesia Basic Health Research showed that the prevalence of obesity in every province tended to increase. Although the root cause of obesity is excessive calorie intake compared with expenditure, the differences in gut microbial ecology between healthy and obese humans may affect energy homeostasis. GM affect body weight, especially obesity. Probiotics that are consumed while alive and able to colonize in the intestine are expected to increase the population of good bacteria, especially Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, and suppress pathogens such as Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus. The strain of L. plantarum Dad-13 has been demonstrated to survive and colonize in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy Indonesian adults who consume fermented milk containing L. plantarum Dad-13. The consumption of probiotic L. plantarum Dad-13 powder decreased E. coli and non-E. coli coliform bacteria in school-aged children in Indonesia. L. plantarum is a dominant bacterium in the average Indonesian’s GM. For this reason, this bacterium is probably a more suitable probiotic for Indonesians.AIMTo determine the effect of the consumption of indigenous probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum Dad-13 powder in overweight adults in Yogyakarta (Indonesia).METHODSSixty overweight volunteers with a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 25 consume indigenous probiotic powder L. plantarum Dad-13 (2 × 109 CFU/gram/sachet) for 90 d. The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The volunteers filled in a diary on a daily basis, which consisted of questions on study product intake (only during ingestion period), other food intake, number of bowel movements, fecal quality (consistency and color), any medications received, and any symptom of discomfort, such as diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, gassing, sensation of illness, etc. Fecal samples and the subjects’ diaries were collected on the morning of day 10 + 1, which was marked as the end of the baseline period and the start of the ingestion period. During the ingestion period (from day 11 to day 101), several parameters to measure and analyze the results included body weight and height (once a month), the lipid profile, GM analysis using MiSeq, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) analysis using gas chromatography, and the measurement of fecal pH using a pH meter.RESULTSThe consumption of indigenous probiotic powder L. plantarum Dad-13 caused the average body weight and BMI of the probiotic group to decrease from 84.54 ± 17.64 kg to 83.14 ± 14.71 kg and 33.10 ± 6.15 kg/m2 to 32.57 ± 5.01 kg/m2, respectively. No significant reduction of body weight and BMI in the placebo group was observed. An analysis of the microbiota showed that the number of Bacteroidetes, specifically Prevotella, increased significantly, while that of Firmicutes significantly decreased. No significant change in lipid profile in both groups was found. Also, no significant change in SCFAs (e.g., butyrate, propionate, acetic acid) and pH level was found after the consumption of the probiotic.CONCLUSIONNo significant differences in pH before and after ingestion were observed in both the probiotic and placebo groups as well as in the lipid profile of both cholesterol and triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and the LDL/HDL ratio. In addition, no significant changes in the concentration of SCFAs (e.g., acetic acid, propionate, and butyrate) were found after con-sumption. Interestingly, a significant decrease in body weight and BMI (P < 0.05) was determined in the treatment group. An analysis of GM shows that L. plantarum Dad-13 caused the Firmicutes population to decrease and the Bacteroidetes population (especially Prevotella) to increase.

Vitamin D insufficiency and its contributing factors in primary school-aged children in Indonesia, a sun-rich country.

PurposeThe prevalence of rickets is increasing worldwide in association with an increase in vitamin D deficiency. This study aimed to investigate the vitamin D profile of healthy school-aged children in a sun-rich country and its contributing factors.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted in 120 healthy children from 7–12 years of age who live in Jakarta, Indonesia. Their demographic status, sun exposure duration time, and lifestyle were recorded using a structured questionnaire. Serum calcium, phosphate, bone-alkaline phosphatase (B-ALP), and 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)2D3) levels were measured. The participants were categorized into vitamin D sufficient and non-vitamin D sufficient groups, and we analyzed variables that contributed to the 25(OH)2D3 level.ResultsOf the participants, 73 (60.8%) were vitamin D sufficient, 45 (37.5%) were vitamin D insufficient, and 2 (1.7%) were vitamin D deficient. Sex, age, body mass index, Fitzpatrick skin type, daily milk intake, and clothing type were not different between the vitamin D sufficient and non-vitamin D sufficient groups. There were no differences in serum calcium, phosphate, and B-ALP between the 2 groups. Sun exposure time was significantly longer in the vitamin D sufficient group compared with that in the non-vitamin D sufficient group (511.4 min/wk vs. 318.7 min/wk, P=0.004), and this effect remained consistent on multivariate analysis after adjustment for covariates (adjusted odds ratio, 1.002; 95% confidence interval, 1.000–1.003). More participants in the vitamin D sufficient group did not use sunscreen (59 vs. 27, P=0.02), but this finding was inconsistent with our multivariate analysis.ConclusionsDespite year-round sun exposure, approximately 1 in 3 primary school-aged children had insufficient vitamin D level. Sun exposure duration was a major contributing factor.

Comparison of a set of cognitive ability screening test for primary school-aged children in Indonesia

BACKGROUND Monitoring children’s intellectual development is important to align their educational needs. This study compared nonverbal intelligence subtest of the cognitive test battery for Individuals with or without intellectual disability (CIID) to measure visual logical reasoning, verbal intelligence subtest (verbal fluency [VF]–animal test) to assess vocabulary and semantic memory, and the modified Indonesian version of Hopkins verbal learning test (IHVLT) to assess learning ability and episodic memory, against the Wechsler intelligence scale for children (WISC) as an alternative cognitive screening tool in school-aged children.&#x0D; METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in 145 grade 1–6 elementary school students in Jakarta between March and May 2017. Performance on the CIID subtest, VF, and modified IHVLT was assessed by a pediatrician, and the WISC test was performed by a psychologist. The associations between variables were evaluated using nonparametric Spearman’s rank correlations, regressions, and box plots.&#x0D; RESULTS The correlation between total intelligence quotient (IQ) WISC and CIID was 0.42 (p&lt;0.001) and 0.34 (p&lt;0.001) for both IHVLT and VF. Box plots suggested possible discriminative capacity of CIID but insufficient specificity. However, CIID was associated with stunting (height) and health (weight) independent of age, sex, father’s education, or income.&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS The CIID subtest series, VF, and modified IHVLT correlated with total IQ WISC. However, CIID may be better to test predictors of poor cognitive performance in primary school-aged children than an IQ screening test.

Faktor- Faktor yang Mempengaruhi Depresi Anak Usia Sekolah: Kajian Literatur

Introduction: School-age children are a vulnerable group who have a high risk of experiencing psychosocial problems, one of which is depression. School-age children who experience depression have adverse effects, such as increasing the risk of committing suicide, being dragged into bad habits, and falling into alcohol abuse, or other drugs as a way to calm down to feel better. Depression is caused by several factors, by knowing these factors can be done to prevent depression in school-age children, so that the incidence of depression in school-age children can be minimized. This study aims to determine the factors that influence depression in school-age children.Methods: The method used in this research is the study of literature. Researchers reviewed 10 articles sourced from Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Springer Link with keywords risk factor, depression, and school-age children.Results: The results of the literature study indicate that the factors that influence depression in school-age children, namely the pressure experienced every day, the school environment, family environment, family finances, maternal depression, premature, and emotional intelligence.Conclusion: Further quantitative research on the factors that influence depression can provide a real picture of the causes of depression in school-aged children in Indonesia.