GENIUS JOURNAL (General Nursing Science Journal)
Vol. 7 No. 2 (2026): GENIUS JOURNAL

Evaluating Nutritional Standards and Fiscal Sustainability in Free School Meal Programs

Ryanta, Naufal Faryreza (Unknown)
Asri, Salsabila Najwa (Unknown)
Gabela, Jita (Unknown)
Ramadhani , Salsabila (Unknown)
Yanti, Putri (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
03 May 2026

Abstract

Introduction: Childhood obesity is a global health emergency that threatens the quality of Indonesia's human resources. Indonesian Health Survey (IHS) recorded an increase in adult obesity prevalence from 23.4% to 21.8% in 2018. National indicators estimate that approximately 18.8% of children aged 5-12 years are overweight and 10.8% are obese. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the impact of Ultra-Processed Foods (UPF) on the Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) program through an integration of public health, nursing, Islamic psychology, and accounting perspectives. Method: The method used was a narrative literature review with an electronic literature search in Google Scholar, PubMed, SINTA, and ScienceDirect databases for the 2019–2026 period. Result: The results show that UPF triggers biological sabotage through insulin resistance and disruption of the leptin-ghrelin hormone. Psychoneurobiologically, the hyperpalatable nature of UPF hijacks the brain's reward system, triggering food addiction. Implementation analysis revealed a fatal food safety gap that resulted in 5,620 student food poisoning and a crisis of public trust due to low dietetic standards in the field. From an accounting perspective, the use of UPF constitutes a "pseudo-efficiency" that creates contingent liabilities in the form of inflated future health costs. Conclusion: The study's conclusion emphasizes that the success of MBG should be measured by the integration of nutritional audits and the use of fresh local ingredients to break dependence on industrial food and ensure sustainable investment in human resources.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

gj

Publisher

Subject

Education Health Professions Nursing Public Health

Description

Genius Journal is a scientific journal that disseminates research results on the development of science and technology in the field of nursing. This journal facilitates nurse researchers, nurse educators and nurse clinicians from around the world to share information on research findings and ...