HEALTH CARE

Are there any foods that should be satisfactorily consumed together? We often hear that combining protein and carbohydrates at the same time can stimulate weight loss – in fact, a study published about 10 years ago refuted that idea.

January 25, 2024, is celebrated as the 64th National Nutrition Day, but in fact, the Founding Fathers cared about the nutrition of all Indonesians since the early days of the nation. Nutrition is so important that an institution was established to deal with nutritional problems in the fledgling republic.

World Leprosy Day is celebrated every year, during the last week of January. Indonesia is in the top three countries with the highest number of leprosy cases. Together with India and Brazil, Indonesia accounts for up to 74% of new leprosy cases worldwide. 

Dengue is endemic in >100 countries in most of the world’s tropical and subtropical populated areas. Reported predominantly in Southeast Asia, the Americas, and the Western Pacific and less frequently in Africa and Eastern Mediterranean WHO regions: with dengue cases at 70% in Asia and 30% in other regions. Dengue deaths are mainly related to DSS, severe organ involvement, and severe bleeding. Mostly occurs in dengue-endemic areas where multiple dengue serotypes co-circulate. 

National Nutrition Day is celebrated every January 25. This year’s theme is “Animal Protein for MPASI (Complementary Foods-Breast-milk) to Prevent Stunting” with the slogan “Quality MPASI for the Golden Generation”. Indonesia is targeting a stunting rate of 14% in 2024, down from 24.4% in 2021 and 21.6% in 2022. Stunting is defined as a failure to grow and develop due to a chronic lack of nutrition, especially protein. 

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition characterized by chronic kidney function decline, and is diagnosed as progressive and irreversible. Treatment measures given to patients with chronic kidney disease depend on the stage of their illness and what may be obtained from treatment of comorbid conditions, ranging from renal replacement to hemodialysis. 

As an endemic country, Indonesia still has to continue to struggle with dengue fever through its health sector. This is the condition formerly known as “dengue hemorrhagic fever” (DBD). 2020 data from the Ministry of Health number 108,303 cases, with a death rate of 747 people; in 2021 there were 73,518 cases with a death rate of 705; then in 2022 cases increased significantly to 143,176 with a death rate of 1,236. 

Indonesia received a certificate of polio eradication in 2014. However, the Ministry of Health reportedly found three cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) caused by the type 2 polio virus, at almost the same time. Two cases were found in the provinces of Central Java and East Java with positive sequencing results for the polio virus in December 2023, while another case was in East Java on January 4, 2024. 

The number of smokers of electronic cigarettes, known as “e-cigarettes” or “vapes” in Indonesia has increased significantly. According to data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), in 2011 the prevalence of e-cigarette smoking was 0.3%, but this has increased 10 times to 3% in 2021. 

Nausea and vomiting are extremely common in the early stages of pregnancy, and they’ve earned the widely used nickname “morning sickness”. But why exactly have we come to call these tummy-turning symptoms by this name? 

The heart is a vital organ in the body that plays a crucial role in maintaining good health. Living with a healthy heart not only makes us feel fit but also provides energy and enthusiasm to live our daily lives. According to epidemiological data of Ministry of Health, coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death and the biggest burden of health financing of year 2023. Entering the New Year 2024, we should make a healthy resolution to be free from coronary heart disease.