EFEKTIVITAS EDUKASI GIZI TERHADAP PENURUNAN RISIKO STUNTING PADA BALITA DI KELURAHAN YOSOMULYO KOTA METRO

Abstract

Stunting remains a public health problem in Indonesia, including in Metro City, impacting long-term child growth and development. Nutrition education is a simple intervention that can be implemented to improve mothers' knowledge and feeding practices for toddlers, thus contributing to stunting prevention. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of nutrition education in reducing the risk of stunting in toddlers in Yosomulyo Village, Metro City. The study used a quasi-experimental design with a one-group pretest-posttest approach. The population was all mothers with toddlers in Yosomulyo Village, with a sample of 50 respondents selected using a purposive sampling technique. The research instruments consisted of a nutrition knowledge questionnaire and a feeding practice observation form. Data were analyzed using a paired sample t-test with a significance level of 0.05. The results showed a significant increase in mothers' nutrition knowledge scores after education (p < 0.05). Furthermore, there was an improvement in feeding practices, particularly in terms of food variety and increased animal protein consumption.  Although drastic changes in toddler nutritional status cannot be observed in a short period of time, there is a trend of improvement in weight-for-age (BW/A) and height-for-age (H/A). In conclusion, nutrition education has proven effective in improving mothers' knowledge and feeding practices and has the potential to reduce the risk of stunting if implemented sustainably. This intervention should be integrated into integrated health service post (Posyandu) programs and community health activities at the sub-district level to accelerate stunting reduction in Metro City.

Keywords: Nutrition Education, Stunting, Toddlers