Makassar, S Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Each year milk consumption in Indonesia is still low, reaching only 11.7 liters per capita.
Clinical nutritional specialist dr Oetoro said here on Wednesday that although relatively low, actually it has increased compared to that in 2008.
"In 2008, milk consumption in Indonesia reached only 7.7 liters per capita," he said.
Milk consumption Indonesia was still relatively low compared to those in some countries in Southeast Asia, like Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
Milk consumption in Malaysia is much higher than in Indonesia, where each year they reached 30 liters per capita, and in Vietnam 12 liters per capita.
"Milk is very important to raise the nutritional value of a person, and it holds 400 nutritional components with special effects to the organs of a person," he said.
With regard to nutritional intake, malnutrition in Indonesia still stood at 17.9 pct, which is actually still high.
This condition, he said, placed Indonesia still the 111th among 182 countries in the Human Development Index.
"One of the causes that Indonesia is still at this level is because Indonesia is still facing so many health problems related to malnutrition or even over nutrition," he said.
Therefore, nutritional improvement for the younger generation is very important, the intake of many different foodstuffs especially those as sources of carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.
Milk, he added, is the best source of nutrition, and not only contains a high rate of calcium for bones, but also contains the five factors.
"Therefore, milk has an important role for the growth of children as well as for health and vitality of the human body for all ages," he said.(H-NG/a014)
