Infant formula is a manufactured food designed and marketed for feeding to babies and infants under 12 months of age, usually prepared for bottle-feeding or cup-feeding in form of powder (mixed with water) or liquid (with or without additional water) (wikipedia.com). Most of infant milk formula is made from cow’s milk which is enriched  by some important nutrition compounds to baby’s growth. However still many mothers are lack of information about the proper giving of this milk to the babies. This paper will explain why infant formula is not suitable and tends to give harmful impacts for the baby-under-12-months.

Infant formula becomes one of the alternatives of milk chosen by mothers to fulfill baby’s need of nutrition. In practical reason, a working mother chooses it to help her in balancing between working and feeding her baby. Looking for the best infant formula is being one of the priorities of parents in order to keep nourishing their baby. This formula promises the substantial nutrition for babies that can assist their growth and development in their early life. In the other hands, the babies consuming infant milk formula will grow as the “chubby baby”. The more chubby a baby, the more his mother is proud of him and the more satisfied she feels.The satisfaction comes upon them as the understanding of healthy baby is still measured by size of the baby. This assumption still remains until now.

The fact is the formula has the higher protein and other mineral contents than breast milks. Thus infant formula milk is rich of nutrient compound. Even so the milk will just be absorbed 15-20% in baby’s digestion. Different from breast milk that will be absorbed 100% in baby’s digestion.Therefore baby’s digestion system in their early life is not ready yet to effectively absorb any food except human milk.In addition infant formula milk contains high sweet that will make a baby consuming the formula have tendency of growing in obese.

Long-term effect will come to the baby who consumes infant milk formula. One of the effects is the rapid increasing of weight that will influence baby’s health in the future. According to Barker Theory, a baby who has a rapid increase weight in their childhood has higher risk of non-communicable disease in their adulthood such as coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus. Another effect is the immunity of the baby  will be low if it compared with breastfeeding babies. Breast milk is a ‘live’ food that contains living cells, hormones, active enzymes, antibodies and at least 400 other unique components.

In conclusion, Infant milk formula is not suitable with baby’s digestion. Breast milk is the best solution for baby’s feeding and benefits baby health in the future because early nutrition and adult outcome are the pieces of the puzzle.

Written By: Fatwa Awaru | A Post-Graduate Student of Public Health
Picture : www.bbc.co.uk

Youth is synonymous with a key for a nation future. To whom the foundation of a state lays and is the future reflection of what country is. Therefore it is essential to care, to empower and to support them for country better future. Yet, it might just be realized by having strong optimism, trust and especially for the youths, they have to have sense of belonging to this country.

In average, youth rate of Indonesia is around 50% among age levels (BPS, 2014). It means Indonesia youths have great opportunities to contribute on country advancement in every important sector of social welfare . In some ways, a country must recognize the youth recent condition in terms of how their commitment to give contribution in country development.

In measuring how much youths want to give constructive impact to country, Ministry of Education of Singapore at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) 2013 held a youth annual event aiming at testing the teenagers’ awareness of the country’s condition in accord to improvement in the future. Mr Teo, the key note, asked any response by using their smartphone in thought about Singapore future. As the result, the survey proved that only 53% were optimistic for Singapore future and the other 62% were optimistic in their life. The result disappointingly concluded most youths in Singapore were less sense of belonging for their country. Beforehand , this event was to discuss the challenges of global issues such as a potential economic recession and trumping concerned over in Singapore. That was how Singapore government identify and enhance their youth awareness. Not only to get their success future career, government led them also to think how important they contribute to their country within their success so they can achieve both. “To discover for themselves that life is not an escalator; you actually have to work to make your country better, you have worked hard to make your life better,” Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean was quoted as saying.

The question now addressed to the countrymen of Indonesia is how to empower Indonesian youth to have sense of belonging to Indonesia. Indeed we need to do it for the growth of the youths is dynamic and the future of Indonesian youth does not only lay over their own hands but also in the participation of the stakeholders. Singapore has done a way of youth preparation for the country’s future since they realized to notice their future foundation as early. Therefore, based on this point, Indonesia needs to do by the same method of Singaporean or by another one.

This intent also assists Indonesia to concern highly to Indonesia international-graduated students. Government needs to accommodate them to serve their knowledge to Indonesia as well as to achieve their career. Indonesia definietely does not want to lose such a brilliant scholar like B.J Habibie, a statesman  and Indonesia former president, who drained his knowledge to Germany just because of Indonesia political system. Many other Habibies that this country must save. Habibie’s sense of belonging to Indonesia is no more doubtedly questionable. Only the morality of the government which tends to dirty politic for power, position, and money. Thus, from the very early, it is important to notice and understand how the sense of belonging of teenagers to Indonesia and its future and then to cultivate sense of belonging to Indonesia in their heart.

Written By: Taufik Akbar | English Teacher of A Public School
Picture : www.wikihow.com