Changes in Indonesian Food Consumption Patterns and their Nutritional Implications

This study examines changes in Indonesian food consumption during 1996-2002 which included the period of the Asian financial crisis in late 1997/98. This paper analyses the nutritional implications of the changes in terms of the level and composition of calorie intake and the prevalence of undernourishment. The analysis reveals a divergence, during this period, between the magnitude and the movement of the undernourishment and food expenditure poverty rates. The results reveal a sharp divide between rural and urban households, and between calorie-deprived and calorie-satisfied households. While this period witnessed significant improvement in calorie intake, the dietary changes do not appear to have been large enough to address the issue of protein deficiency in the Indonesian diet. The results point to the need for policy interventions and information campaigns to ensure an increase in both the quantity and quality of the calorie intake.