UNDIP, Semarang (4/2) – In commemoration of National Nutrition Day, the Thematic Community Service Team (KKN-T) 31 of Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP) in 2026 carried out community service activities at the Mardi Utomo Social Service Home (PPS), Semarang. The program, which is under the coordination of the UNDIP’s Institute of Research and Community Service (LPPM), is carried out with the assistance of the field supervisor lecturer Prof. Dr. Ir. Erni Setyowati, M.T., Prof. Dr. Diana Nur Afifah, S.TP., M.Si., and Prof. Dr. Hermin Pancasakti Kusumaningrum, S.Si., M.Si, as part of the effort to improve the health and welfare of the fostered citizens through educational, preventive, and empowerment approaches based on local potential.
The recent activity was attended by 30 beneficiaries with an age range of pre-aged to aged. The series of events began with basic health and mental health education delivered by interdisciplinary students from the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Science and Mathematics of UNDIP. The material is continued with balanced nutrition education as well as the utilization of the shelter’s garden products as a source of nutritious food delivered by students in the field of nutrition.
To ensure the understanding of the participants, the team implemented pre-test and post-test methods as well as interactive quizzes that encouraged the active participation of the residents. This approach not only improves participants’ understanding, but also creates an inclusive and applicative learning atmosphere.
In addition to the health aspect, the activity also integrates economic empowerment through product packaging design training, branding strategies, and the calculation of the Cost of Production (HPP). This material aims to strengthen the added value of the shelter’s processed products so that they have greater offering and marketing opportunities. These efforts reflect the commitment of UNDIP in encouraging the downstream of campus innovation that has a direct impact on the society.
The peak of the activity is filled with free health check-up services including blood pressure measurement, nutritional status, and simple biochemical examination. The results of the examination showed that there were variations in the health conditions of the participants, including a tendency to pre-hypertension, hypertension, obesity, and high cholesterol and uric acid levels in some residents. This finding confirms the importance of sustainable nutrition education, balanced diet management, and routine health monitoring, especially for the aged group.
Through this activity, UNDIP students not only present basic health services, but also instill collective awareness about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, food self-sufficiency, and science-based community empowerment. This service activity is in line with the efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 3 (Healthy and Prosperous Life), SDG 2 (Without Hunger) through increasing access to nutritious food, as well as SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) through the utilization of the shelter’s garden product as a healthy and sustainable food source. Through this real contribution, Universitas Diponegoro emphasizes its commitment in presenting science-based solutions that provide direct benefits to the society as the embodiment of “Noble and Valuable UNDIP” and support for the accomplishment of an impactful campus. (Public Communication/UNDIP/Erni Setyowati; edited by DHW)
