Reaffirming its commitment to support Indonesia's future leaders, PT Kalbe Farma Tbk (Kalbe) through its subsidiary Kalbe Consumer Health and the Sakatonik ABC brand has focused its attention on addressing dietary problems in children.

In line with Kalbe's sustainability initiative Bersama Sehatkan Bangsa (Together to Make the Nation Healthy), Sakatonik ABC’s through Semangat Makan Sehat #MakanHapHapHap campaign introduced the ABC Method and ABC Nutri Meter to helps parent to monitor kid’s development.

“This campaign also celebrates National Children's Day 2024 as well as an effort to understand parents' concerns regarding appetite problems that impact children's growth and development," explained Kalbe Consumer Health vitamin category Head Adelia Theresia.

The ABC method highlights three important aspects of children’s nutrition that parents need to pay attention. First, the adequate and nutritious food intake, vitamins that support children's growth and development as well as regular checking of children's weight and hygiene.

Highlighting childrens’ need for vitamins, Sakatonik ABC launched the Sakatonik ABC Curcuma Madu, a chewable tablet vitamin containing curcuma extract, honey and essential multivitamins, designed to increase children's appetite and support immune systems.

Kalbe Consumer Health Senior Brand Manager Chitra Ariesta said the bee-shaped chewable tablet likes by kids and differ from similar products that generally come in syrup form, adding that a 2024 Indonesian Home Tester survey found 9 out of 10 mothers agreed that Sakatonik ABC Curcuma Madu in chewable tablet form is practical and easy for children to consume.

According to Secretary General of the Indonesian Medical Association (PB IDI) Dr. Ulul Albab, Sp.OG., around 20 to 50 percent of children who grow normally and 70 to 89 percent of children with developmental disorders are reported to experience various types of feeding issues, including poor appetite.

"If this occurs over an extended period of time, it can negatively affect growth to the point of malnutrition, which results in the child having a risk of death that is almost 12 times higher than those who receive adequate nutrition. This proves that children's nutritional health is very important for their optimal growth and development," he added.

Based on data from the Health Ministry’s 2023 Indonesian Health Survey, 1 out of 12 toddlers experience wasting, 1 out of 7 toddlers suffer from stunting, 1 out of 4 toddlers experience anemia and 1 out of 13 children are overweight.

One way to check the nutritional status and growth of children is through the World Health Organization growth curve, which is currently being developed further by IDI and Kalbe Consumer Health in the form of the ABC Nutri Meter, a web-based application to monitor children's nutritional development conditions, which will be launched in Q4 2024.

The ABC Nutri Meter utilizes the WHO growth curve and the ECAST questionnaire as a reference to check children’s nutritional status, detect eating disorders and provide the relevant recommendations. The app only requires the child's weight, height, gender and age, followed by a questionnaire about the child's appetite and immune system.

“In addition to checking the nutritional status and growth of the children, the ABC Nutri Meter can also be used by adolescents to determine the risk of anemia and suggest treatments," said Chitra.

This article is in partnership with Sakatonic ABC

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