Research Highlights School Nutrition Needs Across Regions

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Meeting the nutritional needs of school‑aged children requires not only adequate energy intake but also addressing micronutrient deficiencies such as folate, calcium, vitamin C, and zinc.

According to findings from the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Food and Nutrition (SEAMEO‑RECFON), these deficiencies remain an issue among students at various educational levels.

SEAMEO‑RECFON identified these problems through research involving 4,292 students across 12 regencies and cities. The results will inform recommendations to the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to strengthen school nutrition policies and the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program.

SEAMEO‑RECFON Director Rini Sekartini said food provided to children must be tailored to their specific nutritional needs based on age and context.

“These findings offer an important perspective for strengthening the MBG program and school nutrition policies. The food provided to children must meet their energy needs and address their specific nutrient gaps based on their age and context,” Rini said in Jakarta on Thursday, September 10, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The study combined dietary intake interviews using the 24‑hour recall method with laboratory biomarker assessments. Folate deficiency was found to be a dominant issue among students at all educational levels.

At the junior high school level, deficiencies included folate, calcium (affecting 44 percent of students), vitamin C, and zinc. Similar issues were observed at the senior high school level, particularly deficiencies in folate, calcium, and vitamin C.

However, SEAMEO‑RECFON emphasized that the research did not evaluate the MBG program. Deputy Director for Programs Brian Sri Prahastuti stated that the study was conducted several years before the government implemented the Nutritious Free Meal program.

“The study conducted by SEAMEO‑RECFON was carried out several years ago, prior to the Indonesian government’s implementation of the Nutritious Free Meal Program,” Brian said.

She added that the findings provide an overview of the nutritional status of Indonesian students and can serve as a reference when designing policies to meet the nutritional needs of school‑aged children. “Our point here is that we are not evaluating the implementation of the government’s MBG program,” she concluded. ***