Defined as a growth disorder with a primary characteristic as HAZ (height-for-age z-) score below the age-sex median within a well-nourished population as the reference, stunting remains widespread in low- and middle-income countries. Indonesia, a country within South East Asian Countries-region, has been long facing the stunting problem, especially in children under 5 years old. Although stunting is widely associated with income status, it does not seem to be suppressed by the increase of income per capita.

gut microbiota, stunting, immune status

• Prof. Ir. Ingrid Suryanti Surono, M.Sc., Ph.D.