Factors influencing stunting among toddlers

Authors

Dewi Masitoh Undergraduate Midwifery Program, Institute of Technology, Sains, and Health of RS Dr. Soepraoen, Indonesia
Rifzul Maulina Department of Midwifery, Institute of Technology, Sains, and Health of RS Dr. Soepraoen, Indonesia

Keywords:

stunting, toddler, nutrition

Abstract

Stunting in children is a nutritional problem that has become a national problem, this is because stunting has a negative impact on human resources in the future. The 2013 Basic Health Research showed that the prevalence of stunting was still 37.2%. The 2016 National Health Survey recorded that the prevalence of stunting reached 33.6%, this is an important health problem because the stunting problem is above the 20% threshold. Meanwhile, stunting in toddlers is caused by multifactor such as nutritional consumption during pregnancy, maternal knowledge about nutrition, limited access to services, inadequate access to sanitation and clean water. The impact of stunting is a decrease in intelligence, susceptibility to disease, hampered economic growth and work productivity and exacerbates inequality. Stunting in toddlers is where the height is shorter than the average age. This study aims to determine the factors that influence the incidence of stunting in toddlers in Paret and Paret Timur Villages, East Bolaang Mongondow Regency. This study is a quantitative study with a cross-sectional approach. The study population is all cases of stunting in toddlers in the Paret and Paret Timur Villages, East Bolaang Mongondow Regency. The research sample was taken using purposive sampling. The research data were analyzed using SPSS for windows, for bivariate data analysis using the Chi Square test, while for multivariate data using the Logistic Regression test. The results of the study showed that nutritional status, health problems in children, habits of eating instant foods, and maternal height were associated with stunting in toddlers with a p-value < 0.05. Food taboos, history of iron tablet consumption, history of antenatal care, history of comorbidities during pregnancy, history of exclusive breastfeeding, clean water sanitation, smoking environment and economic conditions were not associated with the incidence of stunting in toddlers with a p-value > 0.05. Nutritional status, maternal height, and habits of eating instant foods together as risk factors for stunting in toddlers. The conclusion of this study is that nutritional status, health problems in children, habits of eating instant foods, and maternal height are associated with stunting in toddlers.

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