CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE PREVENTION EDUCATION THROUGH THE UTILIZATION OF PROCESSED PURPLE SWEET POTATO PRODUCTS IN KUNDEN VILLAGE, KARANGANOM SUBDISTRICT, KLATEN REGENCY

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease, particularly hypertension and coronary heart disease, is the leading cause of death both worldwide and in Indonesia. Kunden Village, Karanganom Subdistrict, Klaten Regency, is one of the areas with a relatively high incidence of hypertension, driven by a diet high in sodium and saturated fat and low intake of fiber-rich foods. This community service activity aimed to educate members of the Kunden Village Family Welfare Movement-Pemberdayaan Kesejahteraan Keluarga (PKK) women's group about the causes, risk factors, and prevention efforts for cardiovascular disease, and to introduce processed purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) products as a low-cardiovascular-risk functional food, namely pudding, iced drink, spring rolls, and sponge cake. The activity methods included interactive counseling and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Purple sweet potato is known to be rich in anthocyanins and dietary fiber, which have been scientifically proven to exhibit high to very high antioxidant activity, help improve blood lipid profiles, and potentially reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. As a result of this activity, participants gained knowledge about the importance of a low-sodium, high-fiber diet as a preventive measure against cardiovascular disease, and were introduced to easy-to-make variations of processed purple sweet potato products made from affordable local food ingredients.