Nutritional Diversity as a Protective Factor: Exploring the Link Between Dietary Diversity and Stunting in Children Under Five

Abstract

Child stunting affects millions globally, including 6.3 million in Indonesia. Factors like family background, diet, and health contribute to stunting. A diverse diet is crucial for preventing stunting and promoting optimal growth. The study examines how socioeconomic factors affect stunting, its impact on children’s dietary diversity, and compares the nutritional awareness of mothers between stunted and non-stunted children aged 6-59 months. 201 participants were recruited for the research conducted in Cipayung and Pulogadung public health centers from March to May 2024. The study involved measuring children’s height and weight and interviewing parents to gather information on socio-economic background, child’s birth details, and health status. A 24-hour recall was used to assess the child’s dietary intake. Results show that Among children aged 6-23 months, 75.53% have low dietary diversity, while 24.46% have adequate diversity. For children aged 24-59 months, 12.14% have low, 77.57% have adequate, and 10.28% have high dietary diversity. Most variables studied did not show a significant relationship with dietary diversity. However, a father’s education status had a significant association with dietary diversity in children aged 24-59 months (p-value = 0.033). Recommendations are needed to address the non-significant results and improve the study as they are not in line with previous literature stating otherwise.