Jakarta, Oct. 20 -- Fewer students are spending their school day hungry following the rollout of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, with the figure dropping to 16 percent, according to the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).

"The percentage of students attending school hungry has dropped from over 56 percent to around 16 percent following the implementation of the MBG program," BGN spokesperson Tysa Novenny said when contacted in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Novenny also noted that the proportion of students who feel full while studying rose from 43 percent to 84 percent following the nutrition initiative's implementation.

"Fruit consumption increased from 26 percent to 84 percent, while protein intake, which previously stood at between 30 an...