Food and Nutrition Day (Hari Gizi dan Makanan), also known as National Nutrition Day (Hari Gizi Nasional), is an Indonesian observance held every year on January 25. It commemorates the anniversary of the founding of Poorwo Soedarmo’s dietetic school in 1951.
Dr Poorwo Soedarmo was a well-known Indonesian nutritionist. He is often referred to as the “Father of Nutrition” in his home country. Soedarmo served as the head of medical services of Banten Province during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia. He had to resign and leave the country in 1948, amidst Indonesian struggle for independence, and went to the Netherlands and then to the UK.
While in London, Soedarmo undertook studies at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and developed an interest in nutrition. Upon his return to Indonesia, Soedarmo set up a dietetic school with the help of Dutch nutritionists who stayed in the country to work under a contract following the proclamation of Indonesian independence.
Food and Nutrition Day was created to recognize Soedarmo’s contribution to the development of dietetics in Indonesia. Its main task is to emphasize the importance of proper nutrition for the health of every Indonesian, as well as for the life of the nation as a whole. The holiday is marked with special events held at educational institutions throughout the country, where students are taught the basics of proper nutrition.
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