Transmit 'Deviating Behavior' to Overcome Malnutrition

Jakarta, There are many ways to overcome the problem of malnutrition in a region, but not necessarily effective when applied in other regions. Therefore, community nutritionists recommend that a unique solution to transmit the 'deviant behavior'.

This approach is based on the habits that are considered deviant or unique in a region. Although termed distorted, the deviation does not lead to a negative but a positive direction, so-called 'Positive Deviance'.

Community nutritionist from the University of Indonesia, Ir Asih Setiarini, MSc explained that the approach is quite effective in improving the nutritional status of a society. Together with his team at Positive Deviance Resource Center (PDRC), Ir Asih already proved in some areas.

"In a region that has the problem of malnutrition, of course there are one or two who are still healthy. Well, it certainly has healthy 'Positive Deviance' that can be transmitted," said Ir after the launch of Tango Mercy Care Nutrition 2011 in Pejaten Village, South Jakarta , Friday (07/22/2011).

For example, Ir Asih mention eating snails as one of the positive deviant behavior. In one case he found in Cianjur of West Java, children who ate snails fields remain healthy even though the other kids in his neighborhood suffered malnutrition.

Deviant behavior can be different in each region, for example there is one case in other regions whose children stay healthy because a lot of eating anchovies. In other areas, there are add coconut milk when feeding vegetables to their children so it is not subject to malnutrition.

Such habits are identified, then transmitted through the Hearth program. With coordinated by IHC, the mothers in the area were collected and aberrant habit was introduced in these activities.

In addition to introducing the habit of following deviant scientific explanation, the program also introduces the ways to cook the right so that nutrients are not lost. After running 12 days, the program is evaluated and the results so far recognized by the Ir Asih very satisfactory.

"The other issue that helped lead to a lack of nutritious food intake is public knowledge to process food is still lacking, especially in remote areas. In some areas, people do not know if it's nutritious cassava leaves, so just be fed to pigs," said Ir Mercy.