Factors Influencing the Incidence of Stunting in Jaya Bakti Village, Pagimana District, Banggai Regency

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Stunting is a chronic malnutrition problem caused by a lack of nutrition for a long time which leads to abnormal growth in children, such as lower or shorter height than the standard age. AIM: Therefore, this study aims to determine the factors associated with the incidence of stunting at the age of 12–60 months in Banggai Regency, Indonesia, in 2020. METHODS: Observation analysis and cross-sectional approach were used in this study and the sample size was 161 toddlers at the age of 12–60 months. The data were obtained through observations and direct interviews using questionnaires and were processed and analyzed using the Chi-square test. RESULTS: The results showed that 51.6% of children below 60 months were with stunting and 48.4% had normal nutritional status, while there were 65.8% of proper birth lengths. Chi-square test results showed a significant relationship between birth length (p = 0.000), birth weight (p = 0.253), exclusive breastfeeding (p = 0.000), various types of food (p = 0.003), frequency of feeding (p = 0.000), hygiene practices (p = 0.000), and growth monitoring (p = 0.000) with the incidence of stunting, and there was no relationship, such as birth weight (p = 0.253) with the incidence of stunting in children below 60 months in Jaya Village Bakti, Pagimana District, Banggai Regency. CONCLUSION: The sample is limited to the group of toddlers from 12 to 60 months; therefore, further study on 0–11 months is recommended in Jaya Bakti Village, Pagimana District, Banggai Regency.