Diabetes Mellitus (DM), or better known as sugar disease, has become one of the major health problems in Indonesia. Not only affecting adults, the number of diabetes cases in children also shows an alarming increase, especially in big cities like Depok. Responding to this situation, the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Nursing (FoN UI) launched the “Mentoring Primary and Secondary Schools to Create a Diabetes Aware Education Ecology” or PENDAR Diabetes program. This program aims to establish awareness of healthy living from an early age in the school environment and support children who already have diabetes so that they can continue to be enthusiastic about learning and achieving.

The PENDAR Diabetes program was implemented from May to October 2024 by involving more than 200 students from several schools in Depok, such as Integrated Islamic Elementary School (SDIT) and Integrated Islamic Junior High School (SMPIT) Nurul Fikri with the chairmanship of Yulia, SKp. MN, PhD and consists of lecturers from FoN UI namely Dr. Debie Dahlia, SKp., MHSM, Dr. Nur Agustini, S.Kp., M.Si., Dr. Ns. Dikha Ayu Kurnia, S.Kep., M.Kep., Sp.Kep.MB., Ns. Chiyar Edison, S.Kep., MSc., and Ns. Liya Arista, S.Kep., M.Kep., Sp.Kep.MB.

Dean of the Faculty of Nursing UI, Agus Setiawan, S.Kp., M.N., D.N., expressed his support for the PENDAR Diabetes program and the importance of health education for the younger generation. “Healthy and smart children are the greatest investment for the future of the nation. Through the PENDAR Diabetes program, we hope to not only educate them about the importance of health, but also inspire them to become agents of change who are able to spread the spirit of healthy living in their environment,” said Agus Setiawan.

Diabetes is now a serious health problem among children. Based on data from the Indonesian Pediatricians Association (IDAI), diabetes cases in children in Indonesia will increase by 70% by 2023, with the highest spike in cases in urban areas. Data from the Depok City Health Office also revealed that by 2022 there will be 109 cases of diabetes in children aged 5-14 years in the city.

The overall prevalence of diabetes in Indonesia is also increasing. Indonesia is even listed as one of the countries with the largest number of Type 2 DM patients in the world, and projections show that this number will continue to increase until 2045. Unhealthy lifestyles, such as a high-sugar diet and lack of physical activity, are the main triggers for the increasing cases of Type 2 diabetes in children. Meanwhile, Type 1 DM is more often triggered by genetic and autoimmune factors.

Diabetes, both Type 1 and Type 2, affects not only the physical health, but also the psychological and social conditions of the sufferers. Children with diabetes often face stigma and challenges in their daily lives, ranging from different treatment to difficulties in carrying out normal activities with their friends. This makes a preventive and educational approach very important. Education that starts at school aims not only to prevent, but also to create a supportive environment for children with diabetes so that they can feel accepted and supported in their daily lives.

The head of the community service team, Yulia, SKp, MN, PhD, stated that the program focuses not only on children's physical health but also psychological and social aspects. “With this program, we want to create a school environment that not only supports physical health but is also stigma-free, so that children with diabetes can feel good social support in their environment,” said Yulia.

A series of educational activities were conducted to increase students' awareness and understanding of diabetes prevention, including interactive discussions, training on choosing healthy food, planning physical activities, and poster competitions that spread messages about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. In addition, PENDAR Diabetes also engaged teachers and school staff through Training of Trainers (ToT) training, which equipped them with basic knowledge on diabetes prevention and management. Lilis Badriah, M.Pd., Vice Principal for Student Affairs at SDIT Nurul Fikri, said that the training was very helpful for teachers to become the drivers of education in the classroom. “This training is very useful for us as teachers, because we now have better knowledge in educating children about the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly,” she said.

In this program, students are taught that a healthy diet is the first step in preventing diabetes, such as choosing nutritious foods, limiting sugar and refined carbohydrates, and exercising at least 30 minutes every day to improve the body's insulin sensitivity. With PENDAR Diabetes, FoN UI seeks to encourage schools in Depok to become pioneers in creating an environment that supports diabetes prevention. Rizal Dharma Saputra, M.Pd., Head of the Diniyah and Student Affairs Bureau at Nurul Fikri Islamic School, welcomed the initiative. “With programs like this, we hope that our children will not only learn about the importance of maintaining health, but also become agents of change who will spread the spirit of healthy living to their friends,” he said.

The Faculty of Nursing UI hopes that through this small step, the PENDAR Diabetes program can have a big impact on students, families, and the wider community. FoN UI is committed to continuing to support the creation of a healthier generation of young people who care about their health and have a deep understanding of chronic disease prevention from an early age.