Nutrition situation in metropolitan Jakarta

Jakarta is the capital and biggest city of Indonesia with a total population of 10 million. The National Census Office revealed a rapid increase in population through 1985 to 1990. This rapid increase has brought many devastating effects on various aspects of life such as housing, food stock and food production, health and environmental conditions, education, socio-economic and cultural life and political stability. All of these factors contribute to malnutrition in the city as well as in the country as a whole. Data obtained from the Municipal Health Offices showed an unsatisfactory health status having a crude birth rate (CBR) of 2.80%; crude death rate (CDR) of 0.68%; and family size of 5.5. Undernutrition among under-five children still is alarming with a prevalence of 27.91%. Anemia also afflicts a great number of pregnant mothers (70%) and preschool children (38.6%). Nutrition problems are worst in urban areas with their high population density; moderate and severe PEM is 5.63% in urban areas compared with 3.7% moderate PEM and no PEM in rural areas. Jakarta is experiencing rapid urbanization. The presence of slums, air and water pollution in city is a paramount factor leading to poor environmental conditions. The existing health system cannot keep pace with the increasing occurrence of infectious diseases brought about by these unfavorable conditions. Unemployment and underemployment as well as rising costs of foodstuffs cause inadequate food availability at the household level. Due to the grinding poverty experienced by the low socio-economic groups, female workers occupy almost one-third of Indonesia's labor force, hence inadequate care is given to children. All these are factors aggravating the nutritional problems in the country.