UNRAVELING STUNTING RISK FACTORS IN TODDLERS: A CASE STUDY AT KLAMPOK 1 PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER, BANJARNEGARA

Abstract

Stunting is a manifestation of chronic linear growth disorders in toddlers triggered by long-term nutritional deficiencies and recurrent infections. Preliminary data from early 2024 at the Klampok 1 Public Health Center in Banjarnegara recorded a fairly high figure, with 295 toddlers diagnosed with stunting. This study aims to map the risk factors for stunting among toddlers in the working area of the Klampok 1 Public Health Center, Banjarnegara. The research design is descriptive quantitative with a cross-sectional approach. Using a purposive sampling technique, a sample of 200 toddlers aged 0–59 months was obtained from secondary data and analyzed univariately. The analysis showed that the average age of stunted toddlers was 33.77 months, with a slightly higher proportion of boys (53.0% / 106 children). Based on the height-for-age (HAZ) indicator, the majority of toddlers were in the stunted category (84.5% / 169 children). Meanwhile, 36.7% (62 children) were underweight (WAZ), and 87.0% (147 children) of stunted toddlers had a normal weight-for-height (WHZ). Furthermore, most mothers who did not participate in the toddler-mother class program (76.3% / 129 people) had stunted toddlers. These conditions indicate that stunting is influenced not only by current nutritional status but also by the history of nutritional intake, parenting practices, and the long-term health condition of the child.