Preferensi Makan, Asupan Protein Hewani, dan Pengetahuan Ibu kaitannya dengan Status Gizi Balita pada Program Ruang Tumbuh Yayasan BUMN

Abstrak

The nutritional status of toddlers serves as a crucial health parameter, reflecting their linear growth  as  measured  by  the  height-for-age  (H/A)  index.  This  research  seeks  to  examine  the correlation  between  toddlers'  dietary  preferences,  maternal  feeding  behaviors,  animal protein consumption,  and maternal  awareness  regarding  stunting  with  the  nutritional  status of  children aged  12–60  months  in  RW  03,  Pegangsaan  Dua,  North  Jakarta.  Utilizing  a cross-sectional quantitative design, the study revealed that neither food preferences nor maternal s demonstrated a statistically  significant association with toddlers’  nutritional  status (p >  0.05). In contrast,  both animal protein intake (r = 0.344, p = 0.007) and maternal knowledge (r = 0.417, p = 0.001) were significantly correlated with nutritional status. These findings highlight the critical role of enhancing maternal nutritional literacy and promoting adequate animal protein intake as preventive measures against stunting. Accordingly, the study advocates for the implementation of integrated nutrition education initiatives aimed at improving maternal comprehension of balanced nutrition to support optimal growth in children.

Keywords: nutritional status, stunting, food preferences, animal protein