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| National Nutrition Agency (BGN) | Photo: BGN |
sukabumiNews.net, JAKARTA – The Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program has been proven to improve students' concentration and short-term memory. This positive impact is considered to support children's motivation and learning outcomes on an ongoing basis.
"Research
results in Aceh show that students who receive Free Nutritious Meals experience
improved concentration," said Ikeu Tanziha, a member of the BGN Expert
Council, on Tuesday (July 28, 2025).
He said these results
support the quality of education and learning motivation. A study by the
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) also produced similar results.
The MBG program is said to improve students' learning focus and cognitive
abilities.
The data was obtained
from cities such as Bogor and Papua, especially for students who previously
skipped breakfast. A study at State Vocational High School 6 Medan showed that
MBG significantly improved students' motivation, attendance, and learning
concentration.
Ikeu explained that
concentration is closely related to attention and the process of identifying
objects. Concentration is one of the cognitive functions of the human brain,
thus related to children's brain development during the golden period.
According to Ikeu,
concentration ability can be influenced by several factors, including
motivation to learn, nutritional intake, psychological and physiological state,
sleep quality, sound, lighting, temperature, and learning design.
If a child has
short-term memory impairment, it will affect their ability to retain
information for a short period of time. This is said to reduce the capacity of
memory processes.
"Various factors
influence concentration, including the learning environment, the student's
psychological state, motivation, and of course, nutritional intake. Nutrients
such as protein, iron, and omega-3 are needed for brain development and
function, as well as memory," said Ikeu.
The MBG program, Ikeu
explained, is designed to meet children's nutritional needs, both for physical
growth, development, and intelligence. The challenges then arise from the
unhealthy environment in which children consume and the inadequate availability
of food that supports healthy eating habits.
"Therefore, let
us strengthen our role in supporting the success of the Free Nutritional Meal
Program. We believe this program will bring significant benefits to future
generations and society as a whole," said Ikeu, as quoted by sukabumiNews
from RRI.
