Improved healthcare, including nutritional assistance, is associated with a higher nationwide average height, as genes, diet, and other factors all shape a population's mean height. Taller individuals generally exhibit better overall health and cognitive abilities. To raise the average height of a country, it is crucial to prioritize the at-risk population, particularly children and teenagers, as stunting, characterized by low height and severe malnutrition, can lead to cognitive deficits and potential health risks. Programs aimed at reducing stunting rates should target a more significant number of people and consider variables such as educating mothers. Indonesia has prioritized healthcare improvement and the eradication of stunting, requiring affordable supplementary meals to ensure long-term nutrient intake for the at-risk population.
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All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
The author confirms sole responsibility for the following: study conception and design, data collection, analysis and interpretation of results, and manuscript preparation.
The authors did not receive any specific grants from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or non-profit sectors for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
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I thank the following individuals for their expertise and assistance in all aspects of our study and for their help in writing the manuscript. I am also grateful for the insightful comments given by anonymous peer reviewers. Everyone's generosity and expertise have improved this study in myriad ways and saved me from many errors.
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