Potential interventions targeting adolescent nutrition in Indonesia: a literature review

The present study aimed to take stock of nutrition interventions that warrant consideration as a minimum package of interventions in Indonesia to improve four key nutrition indicators for adolescents: stunting, thinness, overweight and anaemia.

We conducted a review of the peer-reviewed literature published between 1995 and 2017 on nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions that target adolescents in Indonesia. The search to identify studies was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar and EMBASE, using key search terms. We also explored programmatic and policy documents from the grey literature as they related to adolescents and/or Indonesia. Our search yielded thirty-five peer-reviewed articles and programmatic documents.

Indonesia.

Adolescent girls and boys.

There is very limited evidence on the impact of interventions specifically among adolescents in Indonesia. Nevertheless, findings from our review suggest the minimum package of interventions in Indonesia could include the following nutrition-specifc interventions: (i) iron-folic acid supplements, paired with antihelminths delivered at scale via school-based platforms and through health centres; and (ii) diet counselling and nutrition education provided through school-based platforms, adolescent youth centres/peer education and technology-based platforms. The minimum package could also include the following nutrition-sensitive interventions: (i) improving access to reproductive health services; and (ii) increasing the coverage of interventions designed to increase school attendance.

Programmes and policies targeting adolescent nutrition are relatively new and coverage is low. To improve the nutritional status of this vulnerable population, additional evaluations of adolescent programming and surveillance data on adolescents are needed.